A number of novel benzimidazolium salts having aryl substituents such as N-phenyl, 4-chlorophenyl and various alkyl substituents were synthesized. Their microwave-assisted catalytic activities were evaluated in Heck-Mizoroki and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions using a catalytic system consisting of Pd(OAc)(2)/K(2)CO(3) in DMF/H(2)O under mild reaction conditions with consistent high yields, except those of 2-bromopyridine.