Up to now, the anti-inflammatory agent nabumetone has been synthesized by a two-step process involving either a Heck reaction between 6-bromo-2-methoxynaphthalene and methyl vinyl ketone or a condensation between 6-methoxy-2 naphthaldehyde and acetone to give an intermediate that is separated, purified, and hydrogenated in a second and separate process to give the final product, while producing a large amount of waste products. Here we report a residue-free catalytic process for the production of nabumetone with >= 98% yield and 100% selectivity achieved through a cascade reaction system involving a multifunctional base/acid/hydrogenation catalyst based on nanocrystalline (-3 nm) MgO. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.