1 2a -d R 1 = H H 3 CO N O O CH 3 N N R 3 3a -d 4a, b a: R 1 = R 2 = R 3 = H b: R 1 = H, R 2 = R 3 = Me c: R 1 = R 2 = R 3 = Me d: R 1 = R 3 = H, R 2 = Me a: R 2 = R 3 = H b: R 2 = R 3 = Me c: R 2 = H, R 3 = Me d: R 2 = Me, R 3 = H a: R 3 = Me b: R 3 = H N O O N CH 3 N R 2 R 3 H 3 CO R 2 = Me OCH 3 1-Substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline systems were prepared by reaction of cotarnine with the NHand CH-acids methyl-and acyl derivatives of pyrazole and 1,3-dicarbonyl reagents. Depending on the structure and reaction conditions, bifunctional pyrazole nucleophiles can give substitution products at the N atom, methyl, or acyl group; 1,3-diketones, at the terminal methyl. Rearrangements occurring during the reaction of cotarnine with bifunctional substrates were studied.6-Methyl-5-hydroxy-4-methoxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-1,3-methylenedioxy-[4,5-g]isoquinoline, or cotarnine (1), is a natural tautomeric pseudobase that is known to react with NH-and CH-acids to form the corresponding "anhydrocotarnyl derivatives" [1], which are of interest as structural analogs of isoquinoline plant alkaloids. The preparation of cotarnine adducts with NH-acids such as aniline, phenylhydrazine, urea [2-4], and indoles [5] has been reported. Among the CH-acids, HCN [6], ketones (acetone and acetphenone), nitroalkanes (CH 3 NO 2 et al.), nitrotoluenes, phenylacetonitrile [7], cyclic β-dicarbonyls [8,9], and compounds from certain other classes have been examined.The mechanism of the reaction is an aminoalkylation. The reaction products are cyclic Mannich bases [10]. The limited set of examined nucleophilic substrates must be noted because it leaves the synthetic possibilities of cotarnine and related pseudobases mostly unexplored. Reactions of cotarnine with bifunctional nucleophilic reagents are very little studied.In consideration of this and in continuation of studies of the synthesis of new analogs of isoquinoline alkaloids, we examined the reaction of 1 with a series of polyfunctional substrates including pyrazole, its methyl and acyl derivatives, and certain -dicarbonyls.The reaction of 1 with unsubstituted pyrazole (2a) in CH 3 OH at 30°C proceeded rapidly to form the aminoalkylation product of pyrazole at the N atom 3a. Considering the lability of cotarnine N-adducts, it can be assumed that electrophilic attack under more forcing conditions would lead to substitution at the C atom of the heteroaromatic ring, as occurred for indole [5]. However, 3a turned out to be stable and isomerization was not observed on boiling in aqueous alcohol for 1 d.