Abstract The reactions of some ortho-substituted anilines with various α, β-acetylenic ketones were investigated as a route to 4-alkyl-, 4-aryl-, 4-hydroxy-, and 4-amino-3-quinolyl ketones. The anilines examined were 2-aminoacetophenone (1), 2-aminobenzophenone (2), anthranilonitrile (3), methyl anthranilate (4), and ethyl anthranilate (5). The acetylenic ketones used were 1, 4-diphenyl-2-butyne-1, 4-dione (6), 3-butyn-2-one (7), 1, 3-diphenyl- ...