cis,cis,cis-1,2,3.4-Tetrakis(diphenylphosphinomethyl)cyclopentane/[PdCl(C3H5)](2) efficiently catalyses the Heck reaction of disubstituted alkenes such as methyl crotonate, ethyl cinnamate, methyl methacrylate or alpha-methylstyrene with a variety of aryl halides. In the presence of 1.2-disubstituted alkenes the stereoselectivities of the reactions strongly depend on the substituents of the alkenes. Selectivities up to 97% in favor of E-isomers can be obtained for the addition to methyl crotonate. With the 1,1-disubstituted alkenes methyl methacrylate or a-methylstyrene mixtures of products are obtained. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.