Practicable and concise syntheses of 6-chloro-7,8,9,14-tetrahydroquinolino[2′,3′:7,6]cyclohept[b]indoles by two routes are described. Both commenced with 1-oxo-2,3,4,5,10-hexahydrocyclohept[b]indoles and utilised either the acid-catalysed condensation with 2-aminobenzonitrile, followed by treatment with POCl3 or, better, direct condensation of the ketone with anthranilic acid in POCl3.