Abstract A clean, high??yielding synthetic route to methyl 5??(bromomethyl)??1??tritylindazole 3?? carboxylate 1 was needed. A principal intermediate was 5??methyl??3??carboxyindazole 2. An analysis of a by??product found after executing Schad's 3??carboxyindazole synthesis led to undertaking this reaction with an inverse addition in the principal step. This simple modification gave 2 in excellent and reproducible yields.
