Reaction of diphenylcarbonate (2) with enolized phenylmalonyl heterocyclic compounds as the quinolones 1 a-c, the quinolizinones 4 or the phenalenones 6 a, b yields the condensed isocoumarines 3 a-c, 5 or 7 a, b, respectively. Contrary to these results 3-hydroxy-2-phenyl-chinchonic acid (8) or its decarboxylated product 10 do not form the expected isocoumarin 9 but afford the diquinolino-γ-pyrone 11