phosphine-free Suzuki-Miyaura carbon-carbon cross-coupling reactions of activated and deactivated aryl halides and 2-acetyl-5-bromobenzofuran with various aryl- or heteroarylboronic acids were investigated. A benzothiazole-based palladium(II) complex was used as a precatalyst for the reactions under both thermal and microwave conditions in air using water as a solvent. palladium - catalysis - microwave irradiation