The ethyl-2-chloroquinoline-3-carboxylates, 4, were achieved fromo-aminobenzophenones in two steps. i.e. initially, the ethyl-2-oxoquinoline- 3-carboxylates, 3, were obtained by base-catalyzed Friedlander condensations of o-aminobenzophenones, 1, and diethylmalonate, 2. The 2-chloroquinoline-3- carboxylates, 4, were then obtained by the reaction with POCl3 in good yields. The chemical structures were confirmed by FTIR, mass and 1H-NMR spectroscopic techniques. All the synthesized compounds were tested for their in vitro antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Vibrio cholera and found to possess moderate activity. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012.