4-Methyl-and 4-benzyl-5-aminoisoquinolin-1-ones are close analogues of the water-soluble PARP-1 inhibitor 5-AIQ. Their synthesis was approached through Pd-catalysed cyclisations of N-(2-alkenyl)-2-iodo-3-nitrobenzamides. Reaction of N, N-diallyl-2-iodo-3-nitrobenzamide with Pd (PPh3) 4 gave a mixture of 2-allyl-4-methyl-5-nitroisoquinolin-1-one and 2-allyl-4- methylene-5-nitro-3, 4-dihydroisoquinolin-1-one. N-Benzhydryl-N-cinnamyl-2-iodo-3- ...