Six palladium(II) complexes of the type [PdCl2(PR3)L], {PR3 = PPh3 or PPhMe2; L = 1-alkyl-2-imidazoline(1) or 1-alkylbenzimidazole(2)} have been prepared by reactions of [PdCl2(PR3)](2). The complexes were characterized by conventional spectroscopic methods and elemental analyses. The incorporation of N-coordinated imidazoline and benzimidazole complexes of palladium(II) gave high catalytic activity in the Suzuki coupling and Heck reaction of aryl bromides and deactivated aryl chloride substrates. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.