The 2-aryl-6,8-dibromoquinolin-4(1 H)-ones were subjected to site-selective Sonogashira cross-coupling with terminal acetylenes as models for C sp2-C sp bond formation in the presence of Pd/C–PPh3 and CuI as catalysts and K2CO3 as a base in dioxane to afford the 2-substituted 4-aryl-8-bromo-4 H-pyrrolo[3,2,1- ij]quinolin-6-ones. These were, in turn, subjected to Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling with 4-fluorophenylboronic acid as coupling partner to afford the 2-substituted 4,8-diaryl-4 H-pyrrolo[3,2,1- ij]quinolin-6-ones.