A series of palladium complexes, [PdCl(L 1-4 )] (1-4) (L 1 = 9,10-phenanthrenequinone thiosemicarbazone, L 2 = 9,10-phenanthrenequinone methylthiosemicarbazone, L 3 = 9,10-phenanthrenequinone phenylthiosemicarbazone and L 4 = 9,10-phenanthrenequinone semicarbazone), have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, UV-Vis, FT-IR, 1 H and 13 C NMR and ESI-Mass spectroscopic methods. The catalytic efficiency of the synthesized complexes was examined against N-arylation of imidazole. The system works well with the electron-rich, -neutral, and -deficient aryl halides to afford the products in good to excellent yields. Sterically congested aryl halides and heteroaryl halides have also been used as substrates to provide N-arylated heterocycles. In addition, this methodology can be applicable to other substrates with N-containing heterocycles.