Michael Reactions of Arylidenesulfonylacetonitriles. A New Route to Polyfunctional Benzo[a]quinolizines

Arylidenesulfonylacetonitriles react in acetonitrile with 1-methylisoquinoline and isoquinolin-1-yl-acetonitrile in the presence of piperidine to give benzo[a]quinolizines 6,9 and 7,10, respectively. The structures of the products were established on the basis of elemental and spectral analyses and their chemical reactivity.