1,2-Dichloroethane (3.5 mL) was added to a mixture of methyl 3-azido-2-(4-(benzyloxy)phenyl)-6-bromoisonicotinate (2.28 g, 5.19 mmol), rhodium octanoate dimer (0.101 g, 0.130 mmol) and crushed 4 A° molecular sieves (2.2 gm). This was heated at 60° C. for 6 hr. The reaction was diluted with a mixture of DCM:MeOH=3:1 and filtered. The collected solid was washed with additional DCM:MeOH mixture to dissolve any remaining product. The solvent was removed from the filtrate and the residue was suspended in MeOH. The product was collected by filtration and washed with a little MeOH to leave methyl 7-(benzyloxy)-2-bromo-5H-pyrido[3,2-b]indole-4-carboxylate (1.72 g, 4.18 mmol, 81% yield) as a yellow solid. MS (ESI) m/z 412.9 (M+H). 1H NMR (400 MHz, chloroform-d) δ ppm 9.45 (1H, br. s.), 8.22 (1H, d, J=8.81 Hz), 7.87 (1H, s), 7.43-7.50 (2H, m), 7.37-7.44 (2H, m), 7.30-7.37 (1H, m), 6.96-7.06 (2H, m), 5.18 (2H, s), 4.04 (3H, s).
