Abstract The first stage of the reaction of triethyl methanetricarboxylate with indoline is the formation of the diethyl ester of 2-(indoline-1-carbonyl) malonic acid, which then, depending on the conditions selected, may be converted into the ethyl ester of 2-(indoline-1-carbonyl)-3- (indolin-1-yl)-3-oxopropionic acid, methanetri-N-(indolin-1-yl) carboxamide, or the ethyl ester or (indolin-1-yl) amide of 1-hydroxy-3-oxo-5, 6-dihydro-3H-pyrrolo [3, 2, 1-ij] ...