Treatment of 4,7-dimethoxyindoles 1 and 9 with ethylmagnesium bromide and ethyl chloroformate in refluxing dry ether gives the corresponding indole-1-carboxylic acid ethyl esters 3 and 10 as major products, together, with minor amounts of indole-3-carboxylic acid ethyl esters 2 and 11 . Similar treatment of 4,7-dimethoxyindole ( 1 ) with ethylmagnesium bromide and chloroacetyl chloride affords the related 3-chloroacetyl derivative 13 . All of the new 4,7-dimethoxyindole compounds were dealkylated with anhydrous aluminium chloride in refluxing dry benzene. Transformation of these demethylated indoles into other interesting derivatives, in view of possible antimicrobial activity is also reported.