The Suzuki-Miyaura reaction of aryl halides with trans-2-phenylvinylboronic acid using a series of related in situ generated N-heterocyclic carbene palladium(II) complexes was studied in order to evaluate the effect of ligand structure and electronics on the catalytic activity and to investigate the nature of the catalyst species. The nature of the substituents of the carbene ligand was found to be critical. Specifically, the presence of alkyl groups on the ortho positions of the phenyl substituents was a requisite for obtaining the most efficient catalyst systems. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.