A synthesis of the natural product 5-methyl-6H-pyrido [4, 3-b] carbazole-11-methanol, 5 from the ketolactam 7 is described. Compound 7 was treated with one equivalent of MeLi followed by quenching of the reaction mixture with water to give the lactone 19 Compound 19 was treated with a number of organolithium reagents such as methyllithium. n- butyllithium, ethoxyvinyl lithium and the lithio derivative of formaldehyde diethyl mercaptal ...