An initial study of the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of potassium vinyltrifluoroborate (2) and hindered aryl bromides is presented. Coupling of benzyl 3,5-bis(benzyloxy)-4-bromobenzoate (1) leads to a mixture of the desired styrene derivative, and the reduced product. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.