One-pot syntheses of fluorescent o-aminobenzoates, o-aminopyridine carboxylates, and a 2'-amino-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-carboxylic acid are described. Carbodiimides are used as the source of the 2-amino function which inserts onto an aromatic ring using S(N)Ar reaction conditions. This method proceeds regiospecifically with a range of 2-fluoroaromatic acids or esters bearing further aryl fluorine, trifluoromethyl, and cyano substituents.