Reaction of isoquinolines 1 with N-arylsulfonylamino acid fluorides 2 provides a highly stereoselective access to new dihydroimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-3-ones 5 via intermediate N-acylisoquinolinium salts 3. Addition reactions to the enamine double bond, such as hydrogenation or epoxidation with dimethyldioxirane, leads to tetrahydroimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-3-ones 6, 7 and oxiranes 8, respectively. Opening of the oxirane ring of the 8 with nucleophiles allows the synthesis of hydroxytetrahydroimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-3-ones