In an attempt to develop a novel route to dibenzoazepine derivatives, functionalized aryllithium reagents were added to isatoic anhydrides at low temperatures. Instead of isolating the desired tricycles, 2-amino benzophenone derivatives were isolated. A rationale for this observation will be discussed. Preliminary results from the reduction of these functionalized benzophenones indicate that this method may permit a novel entry to 1-phenyl-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran derivatives.