Thermal Cycloisomerization of Putative Allenylpyridines for the Synthesis of Isoquinoline Derivatives

A cascade (cyclo)­isomerization/elimination process produces novel isoquinoline derivatives of potential interest for pharmaceutical, biomedical, and energy-related research. Mechanistic experiments support a putative allenylpyridine (reminiscent of the Garratt–Braverman cyclization) as a key intermediate in the cascade process.