Abstract A mechanistic study on the ligand-free room-temperature Heck reaction of alkenyl nonafluorobutanesulfonates (nonaflates) is described. Kinetic data obtained from poisoning experiments, centrifugation and variation of catalyst loading consistently provide evidence for a homogeneous palladium catalysis unprecedented in Heck chemistry. The Heck reaction of alkenyl perfluorobutanesulfonates represents a remarkably robust, active and ...