Polyniline and polypyrrole were chemically and electrochemically synthesized in presence of pyridine-3-sulphonic acid. These conducting polymers were characterized by FT-IR, UV-vis, XRD, TGA and SEM techniques. Polyaniline showed a conductivity of 4 x 10(-4) S/cm while polypyrrole exhibited a conductivity of 6.2 x 10(-2) S/cm. The presence of pyridine ring in the dopant enabled the polymers to anchor Pd/or PdO through which the composite can work as catalytic material. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.