Anilines react with allylammonium chlorides in an aqueous medium (H2O-dioxane) in the presence of a catalytic amount of RuCl2(PPh3)(3) together with SnCl2. 2H(2)O to give the corresponding quinolines in moderate to good yields. The existence of SnCl2. 2H(2)O is necessary for the effective formation of quinolines, and a reaction pathway involving amine exchange reaction between anilines and allylammonium chlorides to form an imine is proposed for this catalytic process. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.