Silver Nitrate Mediated Cyclization/N-N Bond-Cleavage Reaction for the Synthesis of 3-Arylisoquinolines

An unprecedented silver nitrate mediated novel transformation of aromatic hydrazones into various isoquinolines has been developed. This method involves a silver nitrate promoted cyclization of aromatic hydrazones followed by N–N bond cleavage, and has wide substrate scope under mild conditions.