Skip to content
LIFFEYCHEMICALS
Palladium · Pd

Palladium catalysts and precursors

Palladium is the metal of carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bond formation. The Suzuki–Miyaura, Heck, Sonogashira, Negishi, Stille and Buchwald–Hartwig reactions, and the directed C–H activation chemistry that followed them, account for a large share of all the bonds made in pharmaceutical and agrochemical development, and almost all of them start from one of five palladium(II) compounds. Palladium(II) acetate is the general-purpose precatalyst. Palladium(II) chloride is the cheapest route to the phosphine complexes, to palladium on carbon and to the Wacker oxidation. Palladium(II) nitrate is the halide-free precursor the catalyst industry impregnates onto alumina and ceria, and the palladium half of the GFAAS matrix modifier. Sodium and potassium tetrachloropalladate take palladium into water for nanoparticles, aqueous couplings, plating activators and palladium printing.

5 compoundsPd spot €31.303/g

Prices track live precious-metal spot rates. Price updated (Dublin time). Prices are locked when an order or quote is created.

Palladium47.4% Pd

Palladium(II) acetate

Pd(OAc)2 · CAS 3375-31-3

Palladium(II) acetate is the most widely used palladium precatalyst in organic synthesis: Suzuki–Miyaura, Heck, Buchwald–Hartwig, Sonogashira, Negishi and Stille couplings, C–H activation and functionalisation, and Wacker-type oxidations. It is also the usual starting point for Pd nanoparticles, supported palladium catalysts and palladacycles. Supplied as the pure trimer, free of the nitrite-containing impurity, with a lot-specific palladium assay.

Grade
≥99.9% (metals basis); Pd 47.4%, trimer form
Pack sizes
1 g, 5 g, 25 g, 100 g
from €55.00 excl. VAT
View / request quote
Palladium60% Pd

Palladium(II) chloride

PdCl2 · CAS 7647-10-1

Palladium(II) chloride is a dark red-brown, hygroscopic solid and the most common entry point to palladium chemistry. It is the precursor to PdCl2(PPh3)2, PdCl2(dppf), PdCl2(MeCN)2, sodium and potassium tetrachloropalladate and tetraamminepalladium salts; the catalyst of the Wacker oxidation; a source for Pd/C and other supported hydrogenation catalysts; and the sensitiser used in electroless plating activation. It is also used in carbon monoxide detectors and test papers. Approximately 60% palladium by mass; each lot is assayed and released with a certificate of analysis.

Grade
≥99.9% (metals basis); Pd ≥ 59.5%
Pack sizes
1 g, 5 g, 25 g, 100 g
from €63.00 excl. VAT
View / request quote
Palladium39.94% Pd

Palladium(II) nitrate dihydrate

Pd(NO3)2·2H2O · CAS 32916-07-7

Palladium(II) nitrate dihydrate is a water-soluble, brown, hygroscopic palladium salt used to prepare supported palladium catalysts by impregnation (automotive three-way and diesel oxidation catalysts, Pd/Al2O3, Pd/C), as a chemical matrix modifier in graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, as a halide-free palladium source for palladium nanoparticles and electrocatalysts, and in palladium plating. Approximately 40% palladium by mass; supplied with a lot-specific palladium assay.

Grade
≥99.9% (metals basis); Pd ≈ 40%
Pack sizes
5 g, 25 g, 100 g
from €155.50 excl. VAT
View / request quote
Palladium36.2% Pd

Sodium tetrachloropalladate(II)

Na2PdCl4 · CAS 13820-53-6

Sodium tetrachloropalladate(II) is a red-brown, water-soluble palladium(II) salt, the usual choice when a palladium source must be dissolved directly in water or alcohol. It is used for the aqueous synthesis of palladium nanoparticles and colloids, for Pd/C and other supported catalysts, for electroless plating activation, for ligand-free and aqueous-phase cross-coupling, and as a precursor to palladium(II) complexes. Approximately 36% palladium by mass; each lot is assayed and released with a certificate of analysis.

Grade
≥99.9% (metals basis); Pd ≈ 36%
Pack sizes
1 g, 5 g, 25 g
from €48.00 excl. VAT
View / request quote
Palladium32.6% Pd

Potassium tetrachloropalladate(II)

K2PdCl4 · CAS 10025-98-6

Potassium tetrachloropalladate(II) is a red-brown, water-soluble palladium(II) salt used as a precursor for shape-controlled palladium nanocrystals, palladium(II) coordination and organometallic complexes, PdCl2(ligand)2 precatalysts, supported catalysts and electrocatalysts, and as a catalyst precursor for cross-coupling in aqueous media. Approximately 32.6% palladium by mass; supplied with a lot-specific assay and certificate of analysis.

Grade
≥99.9% (metals basis); Pd ≈ 32.5%
Pack sizes
1 g, 5 g, 25 g
from €45.50 excl. VAT
View / request quote

About our palladium catalysts and precursors

All five are made in Dublin from palladium refined by Liffey Metals and released with a certificate of analysis giving the palladium assay. Our palladium(II) acetate is the pure trimeric form, Pd₃(OAc)₆: free of the nitrite-containing impurity and the insoluble polymer that make some commercial batches behave unpredictably in cross-coupling, and checked by ¹H NMR before release. If a coupling that used to work at 1 mol% has started failing, the palladium acetate is the first thing to suspect.

Choosing a precursor is mostly a question of solvent and counter-ion. Palladium acetate for organic solvents and cross-coupling; palladium chloride where you will dissolve it in hydrochloric acid or acetonitrile to make something else; palladium nitrate where chloride must be absent; and a tetrachloropalladate for aqueous work, with the sodium salt for solubility and the potassium salt for crystallinity and shape-controlled nanocrystals.

Pack prices follow the live palladium spot price and are shown in EUR excluding VAT. Only palladium(II) nitrate is regulated for transport (UN3085, oxidiser and corrosive); the others travel by standard courier. Palladium salts are skin sensitisers, so gloves and good housekeeping matter, and palladium residues in pharmaceutical intermediates are limited under ICH Q3D; plan a scavenging step and collect palladium waste for recovery. Our guide to using palladium acetate in Suzuki and Heck couplings gives starting conditions, ligand choices and a troubleshooting list.

Which palladium compound do I need?

  • Palladium(II) acetate: the general-purpose precatalyst: Suzuki, Heck, Buchwald–Hartwig, Sonogashira, C–H activation, palladacycles.
  • Palladium(II) chloride: the starting material: PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂, PdCl₂(dppf), PdCl₂(MeCN)₂, Pd/C, Wacker oxidation, plating activators.
  • Palladium(II) nitrate dihydrate: halide-free impregnation of catalyst supports; GFAAS matrix modifier; chloride-free nanoparticles.
  • Sodium tetrachloropalladate: the water-soluble palladium: nanoparticles, aqueous couplings, Pd/C, electroless activators, palladium printing.
  • Potassium tetrachloropalladate: crystalline and non-hygroscopic: shape-controlled nanocrystals, Pd(II) complexes, [Pd(allyl)Cl]₂.

For research and industrial use only. Not for human, veterinary, food or cosmetic use. Need a pack size, grade or palladium compound that is not listed? Request a quote and we will come back within one working day.

Message Liffey Chemicals on WhatsApp