A process for producing a carboxylic acid amide or ester, which comprises reacting an organic chloride having at least one chlorine atom on its ring of a substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic or heterocyclic hydrocarbon with carbon monoxide and an amine or an alcohol in the presence of a base by using as catalysts a palladium compound and a phosphine compound represented by the general formula (V):(R).sub.2 P--X--P(R).sub.2 (V)wherein R is an alkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, and X is an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms ##STR1## or a binaphthyl group.