Synergistic gold palladium catalytic processes have been intensively sought during the past decade, because the combination of the carbophilic Lewis acidity of Au with the redox properties of Pd within a catalytic cycle is particularly appealing for the synthesis of novel functionalized compounds. We demonstrate here the feasibility of a Au Pd bimetallic catalytic system based on the generation of competent Au and Pd species by anionic ligand exchange. This strategy enabled the preparation of a variety of substituted butenolides in a simple and efficient way.