Abstract
A practical synthesis of the 8‐ethoxycarlbonyl‐8‐hydroxymethyl‐7,9‐dioxo‐7,8,9,11‐tetrahydro‐indolizino[ 1,2‐a]quinoline ester of α‐chlorohutyric acid, a tetracyclic intermediate for the total synthesis of the alkaloid camptothecin, was prepared from the anil of o‐aminohenzaldehyde in six steps. Preparative procedures of other related tetracyclic compounds are also reported.