The standard (p degrees = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation in the condensed state of chromanone, dihydrocoumarin, and 3-isochromanone were derived from the standard molar energies of combustion in oxygen at T = 298.15 K, measured by combustion calorimetry. Calvet microcalorimetry was used to derive the standard molar enthalpies of sublimation and vaporization. [GRAPHICS] From these values the standard molar enthalpies in the gaseous phase, at T = 298.15 K. were derived. Additionally estimates were performed of the enthalpies of formation of all the studied compounds in gas-phase, using DFT and other more accurate correlated calculations, together with appropriate isodesmic or homodesmic reactions. There is a reasonable agreement between computational and experimental results. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.