1) By condensation of 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methylindole-3-acetic acid (II) with benzyl bromoacetate (A) by means of K2CO3 in DMF. 2) By cyclocondensation of a mixture of N-(p-methoxyphenyl)-N-(p-chlorobenzoyl)hydrazine (III) and benzyl levulinate (IV) at 80 C in acetic acid.
3) The reaction of p-methoxyphenylhydrazine (V) with benzyl levulinate (IV) in acetic acid gives the corresponding hydrazone (VI), which, without isolation, is cyclized to benzyl 5-methoxy-2-methylindole-3-acetoxyacetate (VII) at 80 C in acetic acid. Then this compound is benzoylated with p-chlorobenzoyl chloride (B) by means of NaH in DMF. 4) The hydrazone (VI) can also be benzoylated first giving the corresponding hydrazone (VIII), which is then cyclized at 80 C in acetic acid.