The coupling reaction of p-iodoanisole with phenyl boronic acid occurs in high yield in a water-toluene biphasic system catalyzed by palladium complexes with water-soluble phosphine ligands. Silica supports amphiphilized by different types of detergents were prepared and used as phase-transfer reagents. A novel approach to the amphiphilization of the supports was applied to modify phase-transfer stages and to embed the catalytic system in this bipolar surface layer. The reaction was accelerated using these immobilized amphiphiles and the conversion was increased in comparison to the detergent-free homogeneous systems. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.