Palladium(II) acetate and palladium(II) chloride react with amino acids in acetone/water to yield cis or trans square planar bis-chelated palladium amino acid complexes. The naturally occurring amino acids and some N-alkylated and substituted derivatives and homologs were evaluated as ligands. Thirty-eight amino acids in total were investigated as ligands. The formation of aquo complexes in water was observed and studied by 13C NMR spectroscopy and modeled by DFT calculations. Each class of amino acid ligand is catalytically active with respect to the oxidative coupling of olefins and phenylboronic acids. Some enantioselectivity is observed and the formation of products not reported in other Pd(II) oxidative couplings is seen. Both activated and non-activated alkenes were oxidatively coupled to phenylboronic acids incorporating both electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups. The crystal structures of nineteen catalyst complexes were obtained. The extended lattice structures arise from N-H..O or O..(HOH)..O hydrogen bonding. NMR, HRMS, FTIR, single crystal XRD, and powder XRD data are evaluated. / Ph. D.