Cesium acetate was found to be the best catalyst for the synthesis of 3-benzylidenephthalide from phthalic anhydride and phenylacetic acid. Reasonable to good yields of different 3- arylmethylenephthalides were isolated from the microwave Gabriel synthesis, even when phenylthio-and 2-(3-) thienyl-acetic acids were used as the starting material.