Supported metal catalysts have been applied in many current industrial processes. The dispersion of metal particles on solid supports has been proven to affect the performance of catalysts greatly. In this study, a titania-supported palladium catalyst prepared by a simple pH-controlled adsorption method is efficient and recyclable for the Heck coupling reaction of aryl halides and alkenes. The pH-controlled adsorption method results in high dispersion of palladium species on titania surface. During the reaction, palladium nanoparticles are in situ generated via reduction on the surface of titania. TEM images indicate that the nanoparticles are nearly monodisperse in size. Recycling studies have shown that the catalyst can be readily recovered and reused several times without significant loss of catalytic activity. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.