Synthesis of new 8-arylisoquinoline derivatives by application of palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions

New 8-(het)aryltetrahydroisoquinolines (), 8-aryltetrahydroisoquinolin-4-ols (,), and 8-phenylisoquinolin-4-ol (), flexible analogues of aporphine, were synthesized in good yields using palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions from 8-bromotetrahydroisoquinolin-4-one () as a common intermediate. We also describe the synthesis of this novel intermediate through an easy and efficient method, which involved intramolecular Friedel–Crafts cyclization.