The cyclization of substituted phenylhydrazine (I) with 5-(tert-butylsulfanyl)-2,2-dimethyl-4-oxopentanoic acid methyl ester (II) by means of AcOH/AcONa in toluene gives the indolylpropionic ester (III), which is demethylated with AlCl3 and ethanethiol in dichloromethane and reesterified with diazomethane yielding the hydroxy derivative (IV). The reaction of (IV) with 2-(bromomethyl)pyridine (V) by means of K2CO3 in DMF affords the ether (VI), which is finally hydrolyzed with LiOH to give the target propionic acid.