Chloroform → Isoquinoline, 1-chloro-

69.3 g (448 mmol) of isoquinoline N-oxide (made by Tokyo Kasei) and 225 ml of chloroform were placed and dissolved in a 1 liter-three-necked flask, and under stirring and cooling with ice, 219.6 g (1432 mmol) of phosphorus oxychloride was gradually added dropwise thereto while the internal temperature was held at 15–20° C. Thereafter, the temperature was raised, and reflux under stirring was performed for 3 hours. The reaction product was cooled by standing to room temperature and poured into iced water. After extraction with ethyl acetate, the organic layer washed with water until neutrality, and the solvent was removed under a reduced pressure to provide a dry solid, which was then purified by silica gel column chromatography (eluent: chloroform/hexane=5/1) to obtain 35.5 g (yield: 44.9%) of 1-chloroisoquinoline white crystal.