Catalytically efficient palladium nanoparticles stabilized by click ferrocenyl dendrimers

1,2,3-Ferrocenyl triazole ligands generated by click reactions in dendrimers bind Pd(OAc)(2) with a systematic one-to-one stoichiometry as monitored by titration using the ferrocenyl redox sensor attached to the triazole ring, and the dendritic Pd-II complexes formed are best reduced by methanol to form palladium nanoparticles of designed types and sizes that show excellent efficiency and selectivity in olefin hydrogenation.