A convenient method for the synthesis of hitherto unknown 3 bromomethyl 2 chloro 4 fluoromethylquinolines has been developed. Coupling of 3 bromomethyl 2 chloro 4 trifluo romethylquinoline with 4(3H) quinazolinone with subsequent intramolecular Heck cyclization leads to 7 trifluoromethylluotonin, an analog of the antitumor alkaloid luotonin A. 7 Trifluo romethylluotonin retains the antitumor activity including apoptosis of cultured tumor cells and inhibiting DNA topoisomerase I.