Phosphite mediated molecular editing switch to -C-H alkylation of isoquinolines: emergence of a distinct photochemical [1,3] N to C rearrangement.

The isoquinoline core is present in one of the largest subsets of bioactive natural products. The multifunctional isoquinoline core exerts diverse bioactivity, resulting in the development of numerous isoquinoline-based drugs and molecules that are currently under clinical trials. We developed a new approach for phosphite-mediated [1,2] alkyl migration for an overall -C-H alkylation -alkylation of isoquinoline.