A new class of compounds, the pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolin-2-ones, nitrogen isosters of the angular furocoumarin Angelicin, was synthesized with the aim of obtaining newphotochemotherapeuticagents with increased antiproliferative activity and lower undesired toxic effects than the lead compound. Two synthetic pathways were approached to allow the isolation both of the dihydroderivatives 10-17 and of the