Highly substitutedisoquinolines have been synthesized by two different pathways using either a Pictet–Grams or a Bischler–Napieralski approach. While the first synthesis afforded C1-functionalizable 1,3-dimethylisoquinoline derivatives, the second approach allowed the isolation of isoquinoline derivatives bearing a reactive ester function at the challenging C3 position. Among the large variety of