Coumarin-3-carboxylic acids were obtained in high yields with excellent purity from ortho- hydroxybenzaldehydes and Meldrum's acid after a 2 h reflux in ethanol. The less reactive ketones were first reacted with alcoholic ammonia to form ketimines, which were then condensed with Meldrum's acid to generate 4-alkylcoumarin-3-carboxylic acids in moderate yields.
