In the present study, a palladium-catalyzed direct oxidative acylation through cross-dehydrogenative coupling has been investigated, utilizing readily available primary alcohols as acylating sources. Overall, this oxidative coupling proceeds via three distinct transformations such as oxidation, radical formation, and cross-coupling in one catalytic process. This protocol does not involve the assistance of a directing group or activation of the carbonyl group by any other means. Furthermore, this reaction made use of no toxic CO gas as carbonylating agent; instead, feedstock primary alcohols have been utilized as acylation source. Notably, the synthesis of benzofuranones and indenones is enabled. This strategy was also applied to the synthesis of n-butylphthalide, fenofibrate, pitofenone, and neo-lignan. © 2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim