A new synthesis of substituted acridine-4-carboxylic acids 2 from methyl 2-[N-(2- carboxyphenyl) amino] benzoates (4) is reported, via NaBH4 reduction of the corresponding imidazolides (5), oxidation of the resulting alcohols 6 to aldehydes 7, and cyclisation of these with trifluoroacetic acid to the methyl acridine-4-carboxylates (8), followed by base hydrolysis. Direct amidation of 8a provides a new route to the clinical anticancer drug ...