A method for synthesizing o-carborane substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines containing a polar functional group such as sulfamide, sulfonic, or phosphoric acid on the nitrogen atom of the piperidine ring, starting from arylethylamine, N-(2-arylethyl)sulfamide, N-(2-arylethyl)sulfamic acid or 2-arylethylamidophosphate, is described. In vitro studies showed the desired compounds 10, 15, 19, and 25 synthesized accumulate to high levels in B-16 melanoma cells with low cytotoxicity.