On treatment with N-methylglycine in DMF, the chromone-3-carbaldehydes 1a–c produce 3-[3-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)-1-methyl-2,5-dihydropyrrol-2-yl]-4H-chromen-4-ones 10a–c and the deformylated products 9a–c, whereas the bis-chromone derivatives 12a–c give the bis[3-(2-hydroxybenzoyl)-1-methylpyrrole] structures 13a–c.