Iron aerogels possessing high surface areas (similar to 422 m(2) g(-1)) were synthesized and characterized. Catalytic activity of iron aerogels doped with 1% and 2% palladium (Pd) by weight in the water gas shift (WGS) reaction was investigated. Iron aerogels were synthesized using propylene oxide as the proton scavenger for the initiation of hydrolysis and polycondensation of iron(III) chloride hexahydrate precursor. Palladium was doped onto iron aerogels by the gas-phase incorporation (GPI) technique using (eta(3)-allyl)(eta(5)-cyclopentadienyl)palladium as the volatile organometallic Pd precursor. Water gas shift catalytic activities were evaluated in a six-channel fixed-bed reactor at atmospheric pressure and reaction temperatures ranging from 150 to 350 degrees C. Both 1% and 2% Pd iron aerogels showed good WGS activity and conversion of CO compared to undoped iron aerogels. The WGS activity of 2% Pd iron aerogel was higher by 50% than that of 1% Pd incorporated iron aerogel.