Abstract: Provided are a water-soluble Pd(II) complex, a synthesis method thereof and use thereof as a catalytic precursor. The complex has a chemical name, ammonium dinitrooxalato palladium (II), and a molecular formula of (NH4)2[Pd(NO2)2(C2O4)]·nH2O (n is the number of crystal water). The Pd(II) complex is synthesized by using PdCl2 or [Pd(NH3)2Cl2] as a starting material which is firstly converted into [Pd(NH3)4]Cl2 in ammonium hydroxide, followed by a chemical reaction between [Pd(NH3)4]Cl2 and excessive NaNO2 to produce trans-[Pd(NH3)2(NO2)2] via ligand substitution mechanism, and finally dissolving trans-[Pd(NH3)2(NO2)2] in an aqueous solution of oxalic acid leads to the formation of the target product (NH4)2[Pd(NO2)2(C2O4)]·2H2O. The complex does not contain chlorine and other elements that are harmful to a catalyst, is readily soluble in water and has a low thermal decomposition temperature.