The alkylation of 5-cyanoindole (I) with methyl bromoacetate (II) in the presence of NaH in DMF provided the indolylacetate ester (III), which was hydrolyzed to the corresponding carboxylic acid (IV) with methanolic KOH. Coupling of (IV) with 4-benzylpiperidine (V) employing 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide-HCl (EDC) afforded amide (VI). Pinner reaction of (VI) with methanolic HCl produced imidate (VII), which was finally treated with ammonium carbonate in MeOH to yield the target amidine