A concise route for the synthesis of (+/-) cherylline dimethyl ether is reported. The key steps involved are Grignard reaction, conversion of alcohol to nitrile using (N-(p-toluene sulfonyl)imidazole and sodium cyanide), reduction of the nitrile intermediate followed by Pictet–Spengler cyclisation and reductive N-methylation in a single step to provide cherylline dimethyl ether as a racemate.