4-SUBSTITUTED-1,2,3,4-TETRAHYDRO-3,3-DIMETHYLISOQUINOLINES .2.

A practical synthesis is described for the preparation of a series of 4-substituted-3,3-dimethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines. Treatment of .alpha.-(1-amino-1-methylethyl)arylmethanols or .alpha.-(1-amino-1-methylethyl)heteroarylmethanols with aromatic aldehydes gave imines from which amino alcohols were derived by reduction with potassium borohydride. Acid catalyzed cyclization of the amino alcohols yielded the title compounds. An acyl substituent was installed by Friedel-Crafts acylation as a final step. The antiarrhythmic activities of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-7-methoxy-3,3-dimethyl-4-phenylisoquinoline in dogs are briefly described.