The coupling reactions of acyl chlorides with triarylbismuths catalyzed by a palladium bipyridyl complex anchored on nanosized mesoporous silica MCM-41 gave diaryl and alkyl aryl ketones in good to high yields. The amount of triarylbismuths required for the cross-coupling could be up to half the molar ratio relative to the acyl chlorides for the completion of the reaction; the catalyst could be recovered and reused after the reaction, providing both an atom-efficient and catalyst-recyclable process for the synthesis of diaryl and alkyl aryl ketones. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.