The condensation between 5-bromoisatin (I) and 3-acetoxy-1-acetyl-5-bromoindole (II) under basic conditions in an oxygen-free atmosphere produced the quindoline-11-carboxylic acid (III). This was decarboxylated to the dibromoquindoline (IV) upon heating in diphenyl ether. Finally, methylation of (IV) using iodomethane in tetramethylenesulfone furnished the title dibromocryptolepine.