The benzamide-derived P,O-ligands efficiently promoted the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid at 0.01 mol % of Pd loading at 60-80degreesC to form biaryls in excellent yields. A sterically hindered arylboronic acid gave a quantitative yield of the coupling product at 110degreesC with 1 mol % Pd. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.