cis,cis,cis-1,2,3,4-Tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclopentane/[PdCl(C3H5)]2 system catalyses efficiently the Heck reaction of heteroaryl halides with n-butyl acrylate, styrene, vinylpyridine and vinyl ether derivatives. High turnover numbers can be obtained for the reactions with halo pyridines, quinolines, furans or thiophenes.