Bis(cyanophenyl)dichloropalladium can be prepared by reacting palladium acetate or palladium chloride with benzonitrile.
A mixture of palladium(II) acetate (502 mg, 2.2 mmol), HCl (37% aqueous solution, 0.7 mL, 8.5 mmol), and benzonitrile (15 mL) was stirred for 30 minutes at 90C in a 50 mL flask. The mixture was allowed to cool at 20C and then hexane (8 mL) was added. The mixture was filtered through diatomaceous earth and washed with hexane. The filtrate was cooled to 4C to obtain crystals. Filter the crystals. Wash with hexane and dry under high vacuum.