Anilides 4a-c, ek, lla-d in which the amide function is benzylated, or silylated and having different electron-withdrawing groups (EWG) at the methyl methyl in the ortho position of the amide function, cyclize under the influence of potassium tert-butoxide to the corresponding indole derivatives 5a-c, ek and 9a-d, respectively, under these conditions the chloroacetamides 4d, n and 11e are converted into the tetrahydroquinolines 6a, b and 12, ...