50 mg (0.13 mmol) of 5-nitro-N-phenyl-1-(2-phenylethyl)-1H-indole-2-carboxamide from Example XLIX are initially charged in 7 ml of ethyl acetate and 7 ml of ethanol. 49 mg (0.78 mmol) of ammonium formate and 14 mg of palladium on activated carbon are added. The mixture is heated to reflux, and at 50° C. gas evolves. After 4 hours at reflux, the mixture is cooled and filtered through kieselguhr, which is then washed with 500 ml of ethanol. The solvent is removed under reduced pressure and the residue is dried. This gives 115 mg of a white solid which still contains inorganic salts and which is reacted further without purification.
