An efficient strategy on facial, environmentally friendly, economic, selective carbonylation of benzene to give benzaldehyde using O-2 as the oxidant was firstly developed. Co(OAc)(2)/CCl3COOH with the addition of additives such as pyridine was found to be an effective catalyst system for direct catalytic carbonylation of benzene to benzaldehyde with relatively high yield (37.3%) and selectivity(80%) under mild conditions. The influence of various reaction conditions on reaction performance was shown. A possible reaction mechanism was proposed. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.