The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of aromatic amines of the formula (I) Ar--NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 (I) in which Ar is ##STR1## and R.sup.3 to R.sup.9 independently of one another are hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 -alkyl, alkoxy-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.8), acyloxy-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.8), OAr, Ar, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, OH, NO.sub.2, CN, CO.sub.2 H, CHO, SO.sub.3 H, SO.sub.2 R, SOR, NH.sub.2, NH-alkyl-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12), N-alkyl.sub.2 -(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12), NHCO-alkyl-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12), CO-alkyl-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12), NHCHO, COAr, CO.sub.2 Ar, CF.sub.3, CONH.sub.2, CHCHCO.sub.2 R, POAr.sub.2, PO-alkyl.sub.2 -(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12), 5-ring heteroaryl, 6-ring heteroaryl, Si-alkyl.sub.3 -(C.sub.1 -C.sub.12), where R=alkyl(C.sub.1 -C.sub.8), aryl(C.sub.5 -C.sub.10) and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently of one another are hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl, Ar as defined above, 5-ring heteroaryl, 6-ring heteroaryl, by reacting chloroaromatics of the formula II Ar--Cl (II) with ammonia or primary or secondary amines of the formula III R.sup.1 R.sup.2 NH (III) in which Ar and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined above, which comprises reacting the starting materials in the presence of a palladium catalyst, a strong base and a halide cocatalyst in an inert solvent at temperatures of 80.degree.-200.degree. C.