Isoquinoline reacts smoothly with dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates in the presence of isocyanates to produce dialkyl 2-oxo-1,11b-dihydro-2H-pyrimido[2,1-a]isoquinoline-3,4-dicarboxylates in good yields.
isocyanates - cyclizations - heterocycles - quinolines - isoquinolines - alkynes