The cyclization of diethyl malonate (I) with cis-1,4-dichloro-2-butene (II) by means of LiH in DMF gives 3-cyclopentene-1,1-dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester (III), which is monodecarboxylated by hydrolysis with NaOH in ethanol, followed by heating at 170-180 C to yield 3-cyclopentene-1-carboxylic acid (IV). The reaction of (IV) with SOCl2 affords the acyl chloride (V), which by reaction with ethanol provides the ethyl ester (VI). The oxidation of (VI) with OsO4 and N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) in acetone/water gives the dihydroxy compound (VII), which is further oxidized with NaIO4 in THF to yield the dialdehyde (VIII). The cyclization of (VIII) by means of glycine ethyl ester and acetonedicarboxylic acid affords the 9-azabicyclo[3,3,1]nonan-3-one derivative (IX), which is reduced with NaBH4 in ethanol to provide the corresponding alcohol (X). The protection of the OH group of (X) with dihydropyran and methanesulfonic acid gives the tetrahydropyranyl ether (XI), which is cyclized by means of tBuO-K in hot toluene, yielding the tricyclic ketone (XII). The deprotection of (XII) with 5N HCl affords the alcohol (XIII), which is finally esterified with 1H-indole-3-carbonyl chloride (XIV) by means of tetrafluoroboric acid and silver tetrafluoroborate in nitroethane. Alternatively, 1H-indole (XV) is condensed with oxalyl chloride (XVI) to give 3-indolylglyoxylyl chloride (XVII), which is used to acylate the alcohol (XIII) by means of tetrafluoroboric acid and silver tetrafluoroborate as before. Simultaneous decarbonylation takes place in this acylation reaction.