Abstract The synthesis of N-aryl and N-heteroaryl substituted 4-hydroxy-3- quinolinecarboxamides 1 is described. The attack of dianions 12 of N-aryl substituted acetamides on the C-4 carbonyl of 4H-3, 1-benzoxazin-4-ones 11 gave rise to ketoamides 13, which smoothly cyclised in the presence of bases to afford quinolinecarboxamides 1. By this method, a large number of 2-substituted 4-hydroxyquinolinecarboxamides can be ...