“…C(1)-Substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines (THIQs) constitute an important family of biologically active alkaloids, and their derivatives are found as major structural motifs in a wide range of natural products as well as medicines such as (–)-ecteinascidin 743 (Yondelis®, 1 , anti-tumor activity) (Rinehart, 2000 ), (–)-emetine ( 2 , treatment of amoebiasis and amebic dysentery) (Akinboye and Bakare, 2011 ), and (–)-noscapine ( 3 ,anti-tussive agent) (Segal et al, 1957 ) ( Figure 1 ). Not surprisingly, natural and synthetic C(1)-substituted 1,2,3,4-THIQs have attracted much interest from synthetic organic as well as medicinal chemists due to their interesting structural features, in conjunction with a diverse range of biological activities (Bentley, 2001 ; Scott and Williams, 2002 ; Chrzanowska and Rozwadowska, 2004 ), and the development of a new and efficient strategy toward the construction of the C(1)-substituted 1,2,3,4-THIQs still remains imperative.…”