gamma-Hydroxyallenes undergo cyclization-carbonylation-coupling with aryl (and one alkenyl) halides in the presence of catalytic Pd(PPh(3))(4), base, and CO to form the title ketones in good yields. The reaction was temperature dependent: at 80 degrees C, the CO insertion did not readily occur, while at 55-60 degrees C the ketone products predominated. Yields for the Pd(O)-catalyzed cyclization-coupling reaction (without insertion) improved when tert-butyl isocyanide was added (with no CO present), implying that a good pi acid ligand improves the cyclization-coupling reactions between arylpalladium(II) halides and gamma-hydroxyallenes.