Polycyclic quinolizine derivatives, quinolizino[3,2-α]quinolizines (4a-c), were synthesized in moderate yields by a one-pot method using ketene dithioacetal, methyl bis(methylsulfanyl)methylene-cyanoacetate (2), alkyl 2-pyridylacetates (1a, b), and 2-pyridylacetonitrile (1c). Compounds 4a, b exhibited red fluorescence (Em max: 576 nm) in solid state.
