Diastereoselective synthesis and optical resolution of 3,4-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolin-4-ols

Trans-3,4-substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolin-4-ols were prepared diastereoselectively by an insertion reaction with zerovalent nickel and by Barbier reaction with butyllithium of N-(2-iodobenzyl)phenacylamines. The isoquinolin-4-ols were resolved by means of HPLC method and the absolute configurations were determined.