1-naphthylformamides (or formanilides) possessing a 2,4,5-trioxygenated phenyl substituent at the 2-position with POCl(3) caused an unprecedented carbon insertion reaction into a benzene ring, producing 7-5 ring (azaazulene) systems as valenceisomers of isoquinoline skeletons. Precise examination of this abnormal Bischler-Napieralski reaction (BNR) using various substrates led to the following scope and limitations: