Crucial for this transformation is the addition of sodium iodide, which provides in situ more active alkyl iodides. In the presence of a Rh(I)-DPPP catalyst system diverse esters (81 examples) including industrially relevant acetates from chloro- and dichloromethane can be prepared in a straightforward manner in up to 95% isolated yield. The used ligand not only affects the selectivity of the carbonylation