A newsyntheticroute for two naturally accuring 1-substituted 4-methoxy-β-carbolines (1b, c) is described. This syntheticroute involves elaboration of the ester groups in ethyl indole-2-carboxylate (4b) and its 1-benzyl derivative (4a), C3-selective cyclization of the substituent at the C2-position of the indole nucleus, and functionalization at the C1-position of the β-carboline nucleus by a modified