3-Acylchromones and 3-acylflavones, readily available by acylation of 2′- hydroxydibenzoylmethane with acid anhydrides in the presence of base, undergo efficient conjugate reduction with NaBH4 in pyridine to give the corresponding chroman-4- ones/flavanones in high yields. The reduction is both regio-and chemoselective. Treatment of the chroman-4-ones with MeSO3H generates the 3-alkenyl-2-arylchromones by a ...