We describe here a methodology to immobilise/stabilise metallic Pd on surface-functionalised ferrite nanoparticles leading to a magnetically separable catalyst, which exhibits efficient catalytic activity in various hydrogenation and ligand-free Suzuki–Miyaura reactions. Importantly, the use of highly branched polyethylenimine to entrap Pd nanoparticles on the surface of Fe3O4 results in structurally stable catalytic sites, which makes them recyclable without any loss in activity.
