The mixture of isopropyl 3-cyclopentyl-1-methyl-1H-indole-6-carboxylate (50.0 g, 0.175 mol) and acetonitrile (393 g) was cooled to −6±3° C. Bromine (33.6 g, 0.210 mol) was added while the batch was maintained at −6±3° C. The resulting slurry was stirred at −6±3° C. for at least 30 min. When HPLC showed ≧94% conversion (the HPLC sample must be quenched immediately with aqueous 4-methylmorpholine/sodium thiosulfate solution), the mixture was quenched with a solution of sodium thiosulfate (15.3 g) and 28.4 g 4-methylmorpholine in water (440 g) while the temperature was maintained at −5±5° C. After it was stirred at 0±5° C. for at least 2 h, the batch was filtered and rinsed with 85 wt % methanol/water solution (415 g), followed by water (500 g), and dried until water content is ≦30%. The wet cake was suspended in 2-propanol (675 g), and heated to 75±5° C. The resulting hazy solution was treated with 1.0 M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (9.1 g) and then with 135.0 g water at a rate to maintain the batch at 75±5° C. The suspension was stirred at 75±5° C. for at least 30 min, cooled to 15±2° C. over 30-40 min, and held at 15±2° C. for at least 1 h. The batch was filtered, rinsed with 75 wt % 2-propanol/water solution (161 g), and dried in vacuo (≦200 Torr) at 50-60° C. until the water content was ≦0.4% to give isopropyl 2-bromo-3-cyclopentyl-1-methyl-1H-indole-6-carboxylate as a solid (55.6 g, 87% yield) in 99.5 A % (240 nm) and 97.9 Wt %.
