Abstract Isoquinoline-4-carboxylic esters 3 and isochromene-4-carboxylic esters 4 have been conveniently prepared by direct PdI 2-catalyzed oxidative heterocyclization/ alkoxycarbonylation of readily available (2-alkynylbenzylidene) amine derivatives. In particular,(2-alkynylbenzylidene)(tert-butyl) amines 2 selectively afforded isoquinoline derivatives 3 by N-cyclization, whereas N-(2-alkynylbenzylidene)-N′-phenylhydrazines 5 ...