novel and efficientone-pot method has been developed for the synthesis of 1-substituted-3,4-dihydro-β-carbolines from tryptamine and a wide variety of carboxylic acids. The reaction was successfully applied to the synthesis of an important alkaloid harmalan as well as dihydro-eudistomin-U. This represents the first case in which 1-propanephosphonic acid cyclic anhydride (T3P®) has been used in the