Catalysts based on Pd nanoparticles supported on polyacrylic resins or on polyacrylic resins/silica composites are evaluated in terms of catalyst reusability and mechanical stability. Both technologically relevant features are satisfactory. Resin/silica/Pd composites exhibit an appreciable but not dramatic decrease of specific catalytic activity (3-4 times) when compared with their parent resin/Pd materials, but this decrease is compensated by higher mechanical stability and easier separability of the catalyst from the reaction mixture. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.