Ru(ii)-Catalyzed annulation of benzamidines and alkynes by C-H/N-H activation: a facile synthesis of 1-aminoisoquinolines.

An inexpensive Ru(ii) complex catalyzes the oxidative annulation reaction of disubstituted alkynes with benzamidines to provide highly valuable 1-aminoisoquinolines in high yields. The reaction also features excellent regioselectivity with some unsymmetrical alkynes.