highly efficient hydroesterification of alkynesemployingarylformates has been developed without the use of externalcarbonmonoxide and at ambient pressure. The reaction in the presence of a palladium-xantphos catalyst system selectively affords α,β-unsaturated esters in good to high yields. Use of an aryl formate is crucial and alkyl formates did not react at all. The hydroesterification of norbornene