The chlorination of norharmane (I) by means of N-chlorosuccinimide in aqueous HCl affords 7-chloro-beta-carboline (II). Subsequent electrophilic nitration of (II) with concentrated HNO3 gives rise to the 9-nitro compound (III), which is further reduced to the corresponding amine (IV) with SnCl2/HCl. Acylation of amine (IV) with nicotinoyl chloride (V) in pyridine then furnishes the target nicotinamide derivative.