The present invention relates to a method for producing linear and/or cyclic carbonate esters, involving the step of reacting an epoxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of a catalyser. The invention further relates to the use of special catalysers for reacting epoxides with carbon dioxide, special catalysers and special reaction products. The catalyser comprises a complex of a metal M or M-A with a ligand L, the metal M being present in an oxidation state of >=0, A standing for halide, carboxylate, phenolate, sulfonate, phosphonate, alkyl, alkoxy or amido, and the ligand L having the subsequent structure (Ia) or (Ib), wherein one or both of the OH groups shown in (Ia) and/or (Ib) can also be deprotonated.