3-Hydroxyisoquinoline (I) was converted to triflate (II) on treatment with trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride, and this was coupled with o-pivaloylaminophenylboronic acid (III) in the presence of Pd(0) to give (IV). Hydrolysis of pivaloyl amide was effected with 20% sulfuric acid, and the resulting amine (V) was transformed into azide (VI) through diazotation with nitrous acid followed by treatment with sodium azide. Ring closure of azide (VI) at 180 C afforded the tetracyclic compound (VII), and this was methylated with Meerwein's salt, and converted to hydrogensulfate salt on treatment with tetrabutylammonium hydrogensulfate.