An efficient route to -alkylated 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinones with substituents at the 3-position.

A facile synthetic procedure for the production of -alkylated 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinone derivatives is described. The desired products were obtained by -alkylation of 3,3'-dimethyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline derivatives followed by oxidation of the resulting iminium salts. Reaction conditions for both steps were very mild and the desired cyclization products could be obtained in good yield.