ethyl chloroformate (ECF)/NaBH3CN to 2‐[β‐(N‐ethoxycarbonyl‐N‐methyl)aminoethyl]‐4,5‐dimethoxytoluene (4) via the quaternary urethane 2. The same procedure leads from laudanosine (5) to the dibenzyl derivative 9. The reaction with ECF/NaBH3CN followed by LiAlH4 reduction is a versatile approach to Emde degradation products avoiding strongly basic conditions and elevated temperature. Cleavage reactions