Oxidation of a series of defined palladium(II) complexes bearing a bidentate ligand, and a methyl and an amidato substituent was carried out with the aim to gain a better understanding of the inherent requirements for CN bond-formation from Pd complexes in high oxidation state. This work clarified the role of the individual nitrogen sources and has important implication for alkylnitrogen bond-forming reactions catalyzed by Pd.