Three types of intramolecular amidoalkylation reactions of aromatics, two endotrigonal and one exotrigonal (I, II, III), leading to indolone, N-acylisoquinolines, isoquinolone and benzazepinone derivatives were studied. In the presence of external aromatic nucleophiles competing intermolecular amidoalkylations were observed (1→ 2, 13→ 14). The mechanism and the synthetic limitations of the three types of cyclization is discussed.