Palladium on carbon

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Palladium on carbon, often referred to as Pd/C, is a form of palladium used for catalysis. It is usually used for catalytic hydrogenations in organic chemistry. When the metal is distributed over finely divided carbon the surface area is larger and the catalyst more reactive.

Another palladium catalyst is the Lindlar catalyst, which is a type of poisoned catalyst. Lindlar's catalyst does not reduce olefins, unlike Pd/C. The platinum analog is called platinum on carbon.

[edit] Preparation

Palladium on carbon is commercially available, with a CAS number of 7440-05-3. It can also be prepared in the laboratory. In a typical procedure, palladium(II) chloride and hydrochloric acid are added to nitric acid-washed activated carbon. This composite is then dried, and the palladium(II) is reduced to palladium(0) with hydrogen gas, and washed. The palladium loading is typically between 5% and 10%.^[1]