Cascade Synthesis of Functionalized 2H-Imidazo[5,1-a]isoquinolinium Chlorides from Isoquinoline, Chloroformamidines (=Carbamimidoyl Chlorides), and Isocyanides

Stable derivatives of 2H-imidazo[5,1-a]isoquinolinium chloride are obtained in good yields from the cascade reaction between isoquinoline, chloroformamidines (=carbamimidoyl chlorides), and isocyanides in dry MeCN (Scheme 1).