The invention discloses a synthesis method of an acylated quinoline or isoquinoline derivative, belongs to the field of organic synthesis, and aims to solve the problems of complicated reaction, severe conditions and low environmental friendliness in the conventional acylated quinoline or isoquinoline derivative synthesis method. The synthesis method comprises the following steps: under a nitrogenatmosphere, adding quinoline or isoquinoline and benzoyl formic acid which are used as reaction raw materials, persulfate used as an oxidant and a metal iridium compound used as a visible light catalyst into a reaction container together with an organic solvent for reaction under a visible light illumination condition, and at the end of the reaction, filtering, concentrating, separating and purifying a reaction system, thus obtaining the acylated quinoline or isoquinoline derivative. According to the synthesis method, under the nitrogen atmosphere, the reaction system is placed under a visible light source for illumination to realize reaction, so that the whole reaction process is safe and environmentally friendly, reaction conditions are simple, and operation steps are convenient; the synthesis method belongs to an environment-friendly chemical process.