Phosphorus doping to boost Pd/C catalysts: a review

Abstract Nowadays, Pd/C represents a classic catalytic system that has been widely applied in fine organic synthesis, electrocatalysis, hydrogenation reactions, and many others. Since palladium belongs to precious metals, the urgent task is to intelligently manage its consumption and increase the activity and stability of such catalysts. One of the most effective approaches to enhance the performance of these catalysts is the modification of carbon support by heteroatoms such as N, P, B, and S elements. In the presented review, pathways for modification of Pd/C catalyst or carbon supports with phosphorus to improve their characteristics and, thereby, catalytic properties of Pd/C catalysts are discussed. The influence of phosphorus doping on electronic, structural, and composition of this catalytic system was analyzed. It was found that modification by phosphorus results in the richest variety of P‐based functionalities on a carbon support as compared to N, B, and S heteroatoms, as phosphorus possesses various stable oxidation states (−3, 0, +1, +3, +5) and can also subject Pd to partial phosphidation. This opens up the broadest possibilities for modulating and tuning catalytic properties of Pd/C catalysts. Furthermore, such modification results in significant enhancement of catalytic properties of Pd/C catalysts in electrooxidation of organic compounds in fuel cells, hydrogen storage, water electrolysis, cross‐coupling reactions, hydrogenation, and other applications. However, since this approach to modification is quite novel, many challenges remain to be overcome. For example, the necessity of thorough control over the types and distribution of P‐containing functionalities to obtain catalysts tuned for specific reactions is still an open question. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).