[reaction: see text] 2,4-Dialkyl or aryl quinazolines have been prepared in three steps starting from easily available anilides. A photochemically induced Fries rearrangement of the anilides gave several ortho-aminoacylbenzene derivatives that were acylated at the NH2. These acylamides underwent rapid cyclization to 2,4-disubstituted quinazolines (and benzoquinazolines) in the presence of ammonium