A method was developed for the preparation of 3-(2,2-dichloroacetyl)-2H-chromen-2-ones and (E)-N′-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-N,4-dimethylbenzenesulfono hydrazides by reacting salicyl N-tosylhydrazones with ethyl 4,4,4-trichloro-3-oxobutanoate and dimethyl (1-diazo-2-oxopropyl)-phosphonate (Bestmann-Ohira reagent) in presence of RuCl3 ⋅ 3H2O.