2,6-Dimethylpyridine (0.12 ml) was added to a stirred solution of methyl 2-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-bromoacetate (from step (c), 273 mg, 1 mmol) and 6-(hydroxymethyl)-1-methylindole (from step (a), 161 mg, 1 mmol) in anhydrous dimethylformamide (2 ml) at ambient temperature, under a nitrogen atmosphere. The solution was heated to 80° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled, and partitioned between diethylether and water, separated and the organic layer dried (magnesium sulphate) and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was flash chromatographed (using diethyl ether as eluant) to give the subtitle compound as a colourless foam (273 mg).
