The cyclization of benzophenone (I) with hydrazine in isopropanol gives 8-methyl-5-(4-nitrophenyl)-9H-1,3-dioxolo[4,5-h][2,3]benzodiazepine (II), which is treated with KCN in AcOH at 70 C in a sealed tube to afford nitrile (III). Subsequent treatment of (III) with acetyl chloride gave the N-acetyl benzodiazepine (IV). Finally, the nitro group of (IV) was reduced to the target amine by transfer hydrogenation using hydrazine and Pd/C.