A novel, efficient and general route for the synthesis of hydroxylated 2,3-diarylxanthones is described. 3-Bromo-2-styrylchromone, the key intermediate of this synthesis, is obtained by a Baker-Venkataraman rearrangement of the appropriate 2′-cinnamoyloxyacetophenone, followed by a one-pot reaction with phenyltrimethylammonium tribromide. The Heck reaction of these bromochromones with substituted styrenes gives methoxylated 2,3-diarylxanthones. The cleavage of the methyl groups with BBr3 gives the desired hydroxylated 2,3-diarylxanthones.