A new strategy for the synthesis of 3-arylisocoumarins and 8-hydroxy-3-arylisocoumarins was investigated by using acyl anion chemistry for the initial C-C bond formation. The obtained keto esters and keto lactones as intermediates underwent based-promoted intramolecular cyclization to afford 3-arylisocoumarins in good yields. The developed methodology was applied for the synthesis of the important natural products thunberginol A and cajanolactone A. © 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.