This compound can be obtained in two related ways: 1) The dehydrogenation of methyl 9,10-dihydrolysergate (I) with MCPBA and triethylamine in dichloromethane gives methyl ergolene-8-carboxylate (II), which is hydrogenated with H2 over PtO2 in DMF - acetic acid yielding methyl 9,10-dihydroisolysergate (III). The reduction of (III) with LiAlH4 as usual affords 9,10-dihydroisolysergol-(6-methyl-8-hydroxymethylergoline) (IV), which by reaction with methanesulfonyl chloride in acetonitrile yields the corresponding mesylate (V). Finally this compound is treated with KCN in hot DMF - water(1,2). 2) Compound (IV) is treated with refluxing POCl3 to give 6-methyl-8-chloromethylergolin (VI), which is finally treated with NaCN in DMSO at 120 C (3).