Treatment of 6.7-diethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline (8) and its 1-methyl derivative 12 with hydrazonoyl halides, 10 in the presence of Et3N in THF under reflux afforded the corresponding 5,6-dihydro-1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-a]isoquinolines 11 and 13. respectively, in high yield (Schemes 2 and 3.). The products are formed via regioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the intermediate nitrilimines 9 with the isoquinoline C=N bond. Reaction of 6,7-diethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline-1-acetonitrile (4a) with ethyl alpha-cyanocinnamates 15 in the presence of piperidine m refluxing MeCN yielded benzo[a]quinolizin-4-ones 16 (Scheme 4), Under the same conditions. 12 and arylidene malononitriles 19 reacted to give benzo[a]quinolizin-4-imines 20 (Scheme5). Instead of 15 and 19, mixtures of an aromatic aldehyde. and ethyl cyanoacetate or malononitrile. respectively can be used in a one-pot reaction.