N-Acyliminium cyclizations onto benzenoid rings to give tetrahydroisoquinoline ring systems were studied. Particular attention was paid to the stereochemical effect of substituents present on the isoquinoline ring. High stereoselectivity (290%) was observed with aryl Substituents at (local) 4 and 3 positions of the isoquinoline ring (eg, 2-3 and 30-31). In addition to cyclizations onto benzenoid rings, some cyclizations onto heterocycles (pyrrole ...