A Cu(i)-catalyzed retro-aldol reaction of β-hydroxyketones with ortho-aminobenzaldehydes and nicotinaldehydes is reported that produces a range of quinolines and naphthyridines with high efficiency and selectivity. This reaction uses β-hydroxyketones as a regiospecific ketone-protected enolate source via copper-catalyzed retro-aldol Cα-Cβ bond cleavage. The in situ generated copper enolate undergoes kinetically favorable cyclization with ortho-amino aryl aldehydes to produce quinolines and naphthyridines in a chemo- and regioselective manner. The mild and weakly basic reaction conditions also suppress possible side reactions of benzaldehydes under strongly basic conditions, resulting in improved reaction yields.