A series of structurally novel 7,8,9,10‐tetrahydropyrido[3′,4′:4,5]pyrrolo[2,3‐c,]quinolines, 4a‐c, were synthesized via a facile Fischer indole cyclization from the appropriately substituted hydrazinoquinolines 2a‐c. Acetamides 4a,c were hydrolyzed to 5a,b and further converted to tertiary amines 6a‐c. Potent antihypertensive activity has been observed with a number of the title compounds as well as the intermediate 3a.

The 4‐chloroquinolines (I) are substituted with the hydrazines (II) to form the 4‐hydrazinoquinolines (III) which undergo ring closure with the piperidinone (IV) to yield the pyridopyrroloquinolines (VI).