Palladium-catalyzed carbonylative coupling reactions of aromatic halides and related compounds have undergone a rapid development during recent years. Nowadays, a plethora of palladium catalysts are available for the synthesis of ketones, alkynones, chalcones, etc., which are important intermediates in the manufacture of dyes, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and other industrial products. In this critical review, we summarize the development of these carbonylative transformations with carbon nucleophiles (136 references).