Photoadditions of phenylacetates to phthalimides give the corresponding benzylated hydroxyphthalimidines in moderate to high yields of 29-90%. With 2-phenylpropanoate, photoaddition affords a diastereoisomeric mixture in a de of 24% in favour of the like-diastereoisomer. L-3-Phenyl lactate and 2-oxo-3-phenylpropanoate both furnish the benzylated product through subsequent loss of formaldehyde and decarbonylation, respectively. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.