By condensation of 2-nitrobenzylmethylamine (I) with alpha-bromoacetophenone (A) in ethanol to give omega-[N-(2-nitrobenzyl)methylamino]acetophenone (II) (HCl salt, m.p. 165-7 C), which is then reduced first with H2 over Pd/C, or Ni-diatomaceous earth and afterwards with NaBH4 in CH2Cl2 to give N-(2-aminobenzyl)-1-phenyl-2-methylaminoethanol (III), m.p. 67-9 C. This product is finally cyclized with sulfuric acid.