Palladium 10% on Carbon (wetted with ca 55% Water) TCI P1491

Palladium 10% on Carbon (wetted with ca 55% Water) from TCI is a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst with 10% palladium on an activated carbon support. Like the 5% grade, it is wetted with about 55% water so it is safer to handle. The higher metal loading makes it the grade of choice for chemists who need stronger catalytic activity. Typical cases are substrates that are hard to reduce, slow hydrogenolysis of protecting groups, and reactions that need to finish faster with less solid catalyst in the flask.

The main advantage of the 10% loading is that each gram of catalyst carries more palladium sites. Researchers can therefore use a smaller mass of catalyst to deliver the same amount of metal. Less solid makes filtration easier and reduces the amount of product lost by adsorption onto the carbon. The activated carbon support keeps the palladium well dispersed, which helps it stay active. The water content of about 55% greatly lowers the risk of the catalyst igniting on contact with air or organic solvent vapours. Dry Pd/C is well known for this hazard.

In Indonesia, 10% Pd/C is a routine purchase for organic synthesis laboratories at universities, research institutions and industrial R&D groups. Postgraduate researchers and synthetic chemists use it to reduce multiple bonds, remove benzyl-type protecting groups and convert nitro groups into amines while building target molecules. Its water-wetted form also suits teaching and research laboratories that want a more forgiving catalyst for everyday hydrogenation work. This is especially useful where staff and students vary in experience with pyrophoric materials.

• Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes and alkynes: the high palladium loading gives strong activity, so carbon–carbon multiple bonds can be saturated efficiently under a hydrogen atmosphere.
• Hydrogenolysis of benzyl and Cbz protecting groups: the stronger activity of the 10% grade helps with deprotections that run slowly over lower-loading catalysts and shortens overall reaction times.
• Reduction of nitro compounds to amines: the catalyst is widely used to make aromatic amines as intermediates in pharmaceutical, dye and fine chemical synthesis research.
• Transfer hydrogenation with hydrogen donors: the supported palladium also works with donor reagents, so laboratories can run reductions without handling hydrogen gas cylinders directly.
• Difficult or sterically hindered substrate reductions: more palladium per gram gives the activity needed for substrates that respond poorly to 5% Pd/C, while keeping the catalyst mass manageable for filtration.

• Composition: palladium 10% on activated carbon support

Keep the catalyst in its original, tightly closed container in a cool, well-ventilated place, away from heat, sparks, open flames and oxidising agents. Do not let the material dry out, because the water content is what lowers its ignition risk. Weigh and transfer it carefully, preferably under an inert gas such as nitrogen when adding it to flammable solvents. Never add it to a flask that already contains hydrogen. After filtration, keep used catalyst wet with water and do not let the filter cake dry in air, because spent Pd/C can ignite. Wear safety glasses, gloves and a lab coat, work in a fume hood, and follow the supplier's safety data sheet and your institution's rules for disposing of precious-metal waste.

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