The palladium-catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of halo derivatives of 4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one with (het)arylboronic acids allow easy access to (het)aryl and vinyl derivatives of this bicycle in good to excellent yields, even from chloro derivatives. The sequence of reactivity of the halogen in the different positions of the ring system was also investigated. 6-Phenyl-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one could be prepared by thermal cyclization of isopropylidene (6-phenylpyrid-2-ylamino)methylenemalonate, together with a small amount of 7-phenyl-1,4-dihydro-1,8-naphthyridin-4-one.