Heterogeneous rhodium based catalyst supported on inorganic oxides such as silica or silica-alumina and pillared clays, reduced with hydrogen or sodium borohydride, catalyze the hydroformylation of 1,1-diarylethenes and vinylnaphthalene. The reaction occurs with very good conversion and interesting cliemio- and regio-selectivity values. Activity and selectivity resulted comparable or even better than those found using Usual homogeneous rhodium based catalytic systems. No leaching of the active catalyst was observed under the reaction conditions. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.