Abstract Silica-supported polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers with different spacer lengths were prepared. After the introduction of diphenylphosphino groups, complexation to dibenzylidenepalladium (0) gave the desired silica-supported dendrimer–palladium catalyst complexes G0 to G4-C2-Pd. These catalysts showed activity towards the oxidation of terminal alkenes to methyl ketones. A dependence of catalytic activity on the spacer length ...