Abstract Treatment of 1-(5′-benzyloxy-4′-methoxy-2′-nitrobenzyl)-3, 4- dihydroisoquinoline 2 with lithium/ammonia followed by the addition of ethanol gave a mixture of the dibenz [b, g] indolizines 3 and 4. Omission of ethanol resulted in the formation of 3 only. The dihydroisoquinoline from 3, 4-dimethoxyphenylethyl amine behaved similarly.