The Pd-tussah silk catalyst was prepared by anchoring palladium chloride on tussah silk and then activating with reductive agents or hydrogen. The catalyst was characterized by XPS, IR, electron microscope and X-ray diffraction measurements. A wide range of oxidation states of Pd(0-II) was observed and it seemed that the donor groups of protein might coordinate to palladium with the formation of catalytic active species. The activity of Pd-tussah silk was compared with that of conventional supported Pd-cata...