An efficient and versatile ‘green’ catalytic system for the Buchwald–Hartwig cross-coupling reaction in water is reported. In an aqueous micellar medium, the combination of t-BuXPhos with [(cinnamyl)PdCl]2 showed excellent performance for coupling arylbromides or chlorides with a large set of amines, amides, ureas and carbamates. The method is functional-group tolerant, proceeds smoothly (30 to 50