After several attempts on our part of optimize the yields of the above reactions we found that a neat mixture ot 'the 3.4-dihydroisoquinoline 2a and two equivalents ofinalonic acid half ethyl ester reacted at elevated temperature (120”(') to atiord an excellent yield (81%) ol'la. Likewise. when cyanoacetic acid (two equivalents) and malonic acid (one equivalent) were substituted lor the malonic ester the products lb (70%) and lc (92%) were obtained, ...