Facile and convenient syntheses of 6,11-dihydro-5H-indeno[1,2-c]isoquinolin- 5-ones and 6,11-dihydro-5H-indolo[3,2-c]isoquinolin-5-one.

[reaction: see text] The synthesis of 6,11-dihydro-5H-indeno[1,2-c]isoquinolin-5-ones from the base-promoted condensation reaction of homophthalic anhydride and 2-(bromomethyl)-benzonitrile and a convenient method for the synthesis of indolo[3,2-c]isoquinolinones are described.