Pyrido [4, 3-d] pyrimidin-4 (3 H)-one (1) was prepared by reacting 2-trifluoromethyl-4-iodo- nicotinic acid (2) with amidine 9a catalyzed by Pd2 (dba) 3 and Xantphos, followed by cyclization effected with HBTU and subsequent demethylation using PhBCl2. The amidine arylation method was found applicable for the syntheses of quinazolin-4 (3 H)-ones. Thus, reaction of 2-bromo or 2-iodo benzoate esters with amdidines afforded substituted ...