A series of 1-(ferrocenylethyl)-3-substituted-imidazolium salts [3-substitute=2,6-di(iso-propyl)phenyl (1a), 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl (1b), tertbutyl (1c), I-Ad (1d), cyclohexyl (1e)] have been synthesized from a racemic ferrocertylethyl acetate and the corresponding N-substituted imidazole in high yields (70-94%). A combination of Pd(OAc)(2) and 1a-d was found to form an excellent catalyst system for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid in the presence of Cs2CO3 (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.