Chiral and achiral pincer type palladium complexes bearing abnormal N-heterocyclic carbene ligands derived from 1,2,3-triazole are reported. Both complexes are effective as catalysts for non-asymmetric Suzuki coupling reaction for the synthesis of biphenyl derivatives. However, both the complexes failed to catalyze the formation of binaphthyl derivatives, by the asymmetric Suzuki coupling in case of the chiral complex and the non-asymmetric version in case of the achiral pincer complex. Instead deboronation of arylboronic acid occurred very efficiently leaving the aryl bromide intact. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.