Flash vacuum pyrolyses (FVP) of benzoic 2-methyl-3-furoic anhydride (12) and benzoic 3-methyl-2-furoic anhydride (13) at 550 °C and ca. 10(-2) Torr both give methylenecyclobutenone (16) and 1-buten-3-yne (17) as the main products. A mechanism involving generation of furan analogues of α-oxo-o-quinodimethane, 10 and 11, from FVP of 12 and 13, respectively, followed by elimination of a CO molecule to give the respective carbenes 34 and 36 is proposed. Carbenes 34 and 36 are interconvertible via a cyclopropene intermediate 35. A ring contraction from 36 will give 16, whereas a ring-opening of 34 followed by elimination of a CO molecule then leads to 17. The proposed mechanism is supported by substituent- and deuterium-labeling study on FVP of the derivatives of 12.