This invention relates to a new and convergent route to small molecule inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, such as 8-fluoro-2-{4-[(methylamino)methyl]phenyl}-1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-6H-azepino[5,4,3-cd]indol-6-one, via a key Sonogashira coupling reaction and a CuI-promoted indole formation.