To a solution of (1-cyclohexylmethyl-7-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-oxoacetonitrile (prepared as described in Example 28; 2.39 g, 8.06 mmol) in acetic acid (50 ml) under nitrogen was added 10% palladium on charcoal (240 mg). The reaction was placed under a hydrogen atmosphere and stirred overnight. The reaction mixture was then filtered through a pad of dicalite. The dicalite was washed with acetic acid and the combined filtrate evaporated to leave a red oil. The red oil was taken up in dichloromethane (50 ml) and to this was added chloroacetyl chloride (0.77 ml, 9.67 mmol) followed by triethylamine (3.4 ml, 24.2 mmol) dropwise. The reaction was stirred for 30 minutes and poured into a separating funnel. The organics were washed sequentially with 5% aqueous sodium carbonate (2×30 ml) and brine (30 ml). The organics were dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered and the solvent removed in vacuo to leave a red/brown oil. The oil was purified by flash chromatography using 20-100% (v/v) dichloromethane in heptane followed by 25-50% (v/v) diethyl ether in heptane to afford 2-chloro-N-[2-(1-cyclohexylmethyl-7-methoxy-1H-indol-3-yl)-2-oxoethyl]-acetamide (2.32 g, 6.1 mmol).
