δ-carbonylation of saturated alcohols which uses a 1,5-hydrogen-transfer reaction of alkoxyl radicals and subsequent carbonylation at the δ-carbon atoms as the key. The carbonylation reactions of five classes of saturated alcohols, namely, primary alcohols having primary δ-carbons, primary alcohols having secondary δ-carbons, primary alcohols having tertiary δ-carbons, secondary alcohols having primary δ-carbons