A facile and efficient method for the preparation of 2-non-substituted quinoline-4-carboxylic acids is described via the Pfitzinger reaction of isatins with sodium pyruvate following consequent decarboxylation under microwave irradiation. A facile and efficient method for the preparation of 2-non-substituted quinoline-4-carboxylic acids is described via the Pfitzinger reaction of isatins with sodium pyruvate following consequent decarboxylation under microwave irradiation.