A number of approaches for the synthesis of the 1 H-indol-2-yl-1 H-quinolin-2-one ring system found in the potent and selective KDR kinase inhibitor 1 are described. The preparation and reaction of trimethylsilylnitrobenzene 26 with 2-methoxy-3- quinolinecarboxaldehyde 28 afforded alcohol 30, which was the key intermediate for the preparation of the target compounds. Conversion of alcohol 30 to either nitroketone 36 or ...