A number of rac. and optically active homoberbines have been synthesized from substituted 1‐phenethyltetrahydroisoquinolines and formaldehyde by an acid catalyzed cyclization. These homoberbines represent a new class of heterocyclic compounds which are isomeric with the homoaporphine alkaloids. Copyright © 1969 Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim