To a mixture of 6-(5-methoxy-2-phenylindol-1-ylmethyl)pyridine-2-carbonitrile (95 mg), isopropyl alcohol (6 mL), and water (4 mL) were added sodium azide (36 mg) and zinc bromide (32 mg). This mixture was stirred overnight while heated to reflux. The reaction mixture was left to cool to room temperature, and then diluted with ethyl acetate. To the mixture was added 2 mol/L hydrochloric acid (4 mL), followed by stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes. The organic layer was separated, and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organic layer was washed with saturated brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and then concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (eluting solvent: dichloromethane-methanol) to obtain the title compound (88 mg). 1H-NMR (DMSO-d6) δ ppm: 3.78 (3H, s), 5.61 (2H, s), 6.54 (1H, d, J=7.8 Hz), 6.66 (1H, d, J=0.4 Hz), 6.78 (1H, dd, J=2.5, 8.9 Hz), 7.16 (1H, d, J=2.5 Hz), 7.29 (1H, d, J=8.9 Hz), 7.35-7.55 (5H, m), 7.90 (1H, t, J=7.8 Hz), 8.05 (1H, d, J=7.8 Hz). ESI-MS (m/z): 383 (M+H)+
