An efficient strategy for the nickel-catalysed synthesis of biaryls and terphenyls has been developed in environmentally-friendly reaction media. In the presence of β-diketone and PPh3 ligands, Ni(TFA)2 acted as an effective catalyst for the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling of aryl halides and arylboronic acids in an ionic liquid solution. Biaryls and terphenyls were obtained in good yields under this