Process for preparing biphenylamides of the general formula in which R 1 is hydrogen, hydroxyl, fluorine, chlorine, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 -alkylthio or C 1 -C 4 -haloalkyl, R 2 is C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 6 -C 10 -aryl or C 6 -C 10 -aryl-CH 2 -, and X 1 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, fluorine or chlorine, X 2 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, fluorine or chlorine, X 3 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, fluorine or chlorine, characterized in that anilides of the formula in which R 1 and R 2 are each as defined above, in a solvent selected from the group comprising N,N-dialkylalkanamides, dimethoxyethane, methanol, ethyl acetate and water, and mixtures of these solvents, are reacted with an organoboron compound of the formula in which X 1, X 2 and X 3 are each as defined above, and which is selected from one of the following groups consisting of: boronic acids of the formula in which Q is a hydroxyl group, m is 2, p is 1, or the anhydrides, dimers or trimers of these boronic acids; boronic acid derivatives of the formula in which Q is F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 6 -C 10 -aryl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or C 6 -C 10 -aryloxy, m is 2, p is 1; borinic acids of the formula in which Q is OH, F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 6 -C 10 -aryl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or C 6 -C 10 -aryloxy, m is 1, p is 2; cyclic boronic esters of the formula in which Q is a C 2 -C 3 -alkyldioxy radical which, together with the boron atom to which it is bonded, forms a 5- or 6-membered ring optionally substituted by one or more C 1 -C 4 -alkyl radicals, m is 2, p is 1; boronates of the formula in which Q is OH, F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 6 -C 10 -aryl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or C 6 -C 10 -aryloxy, m is 3, p is 1 and the negative charge of the boronate anion is compensated for by a cation, triarylboranes of the formula in which m is 0, p is 3; tetraarylborates of the formula in which m is 0, p is 4 and the negative charge of the tetraarylborate anion is compensated for by a cation, in the presence of a catalyst system consisting of a ruthenium catalyst, an activator, an oxidizing agent and a metal triflate, wherein the activator is selected from the group comprising AgSbF 6, KPF 6, NaPF 6, AgF and AgBF 4, and wherein the oxidizing agent is Ag 2 O. R 1 is hydrogen, hydroxyl, fluorine, chlorine, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 -alkylthio or C 1 -C 4 -haloalkyl, R 2 is C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 6 -C 10 -aryl or C 6 -C 10 -aryl-CH 2 -, and X 1 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, fluorine or chlorine, X 2 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, fluorine or chlorine, X 3 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy, fluorine or chlorine, boronic acids of the formula in which Q is a hydroxyl group, m is 2, p is 1, or the anhydrides, dimers or trimers of these boronic acids; boronic acid derivatives of the formula in which Q is F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 6 -C 10 -aryl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or C 6 -C 10 -aryloxy, m is 2, p is 1; borinic acids of the formula in which Q is OH, F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 6 -C 10 -aryl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or C 6 -C 10 -aryloxy, m is 1, p is 2; cyclic boronic esters of the formula in which Q is a C 2 -C 3 -alkyldioxy radical which, together with the boron atom to which it is bonded, forms a 5- or 6-membered ring optionally substituted by one or more C 1 -C 4 -alkyl radicals, m is 2, p is 1; boronates of the formula in which Q is OH, F, Cl, Br, I, C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, C 6 -C 10 -aryl, C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy or C 6 -C 10 -aryloxy, m is 3, p is 1 and the negative charge of the boronate anion is compensated for by a cation, triarylboranes of the formula in which m is 0, p is 3; tetraarylborates of the formula in which m is 0, p is 4 and the negative charge of the tetraarylborate anion is compensated for by a cation, in the presence of a catalyst system consisting of a ruthenium catalyst, an activator, an oxidizing agent and a metal triflate, wherein the activator is selected from the group comprising AgSbF 6, KPF 6, NaPF 6, AgF and AgBF 4, and wherein the oxidizing agent is Ag 2 O.