Palladium on carbon is used for catalytic hydrogenations in organic synthesis.

Palladium on carbon is a common catalyst for hydrogenolysis.

Particularly common substrates for hydrogenolysis are benzyl ethers:[5] Other labile substituents are also susceptible to cleavage by this reagent.

[7] A solution of palladium chloride and hydrochloric acid is combined with aqueous suspension of activated carbon.

The palladium(II) is then reduced by the addition of formaldehyde.