A CuI-catalyzed tandem reaction of 5-(2-bromoaryl)-N-aryl-1H-pyrazol-3-amines with active acetonitrile derivatives to prepare pyrazolo[5,1-a]isoquinolines in good to excellent yields has been successfully developed under mild conditions with heterocyclic ketene aminals (HKAs) as new ligands. This is the first time HKAs have been used as ligands for copper-catalyzed coupling reactions.