Nitration of Pyrrolo[2,1‐a]isoquinolines with NaNO₂/HFIP

A mild nitration of pyrrolo[2,1‐ a ]isoquinolines has been reached using sodium nitrite as nitro source in HFIP at ambient temperature. A variety of nitro‐bearing pyrrolo[2,1‐ a ]isoquinoline derivatives has been efficiently prepared in poor to quantitative yields (28–98 %). These products can be easily transformed to primary amines and amide by simple chemical reactions. Treatment of other nitrogen‐containing heterocycles such as pyrrolo[1,2‐ a ]quinoline and substituted indoles under this developed reaction system afforded nitro‐bearing N ‐heterocycles in relatively lower yields (15–19 %).