When 4-methoxy-l, 3-diazabiphenylene was transformed into 1, 3-dimethoxyisoquinoline in methanolic sodium methoxide at reflux overnight, 1-methoxy-2-azabiphenylene required longer reflux time and 4-methoxy-1-azabiphenylene required forcing conditions for transformations to occur. The transformation product from the latter was shown to be 1, 5- dimethoxy-2-benzocine and that from the former was established by independent ...