A three-step alternative synthesis of 4-acetylbenzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (4) is reported. Starting from inexpensive 3-hydroxyacetophenone (1) 3-hydroxy-2-nitroacetophenone (2) is prepared by nitration followed by catalytic hydrogenation to yield 2-amino-3-hydroxyacetophenone (3) in which a C=O unit is