4‐Hydroxycoumarin (1) reacted with Wittig reagents (2) to give 4‐benzoylmethylcoumarin(5A) or [3‐(4‐hydroxycoumarinyl)]carbonylmethyl‐enetriphenylphosphorane (6) depending upon the nature of the phosphorus ylide used. Dialkyl phosphonates (3a,b) and trialkyl phosphites (4a,b) converted 1 into the respective O‐alkyl ethers (11a,b). The ground‐state structure of 1 is discussed in the light of experimental results. Compatible elementary and spectroscopic results were gained for the new products. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 9:427–431, 1998