A convenient route is described for the preparation of 1,4-dimethylcarbazole — the key compound in the synthesis of the antitumoral alkaloid ellipticine. The interaction of 2,5-xylidine with 3-chlorocyclohexene led to N-(cyclohex-2-enyl)-2,5-xylidine (I), the two-hour heating of which at 140–150°C gave the product of an amino-Claisen rearrangement, 6-(cyclohex-2-enyl)-2,5-xylidine (II) with a yield of 82%. The intramolecular cyclization of compound (II) in polyphosphoric acid (130–140°C, 5 h) led to 5,6,7,8,12,13-hexahydro-1,4-dimethylcarbazole (III) in a yield of 75%. The dehydrogenation of substance (III) by boiling in trimethylbenzene in the presence of Pd/C gave 1,4-dimethylcarbazole (IV) with a yield of 87%. The conditions for performing the reactions and the physicochemical constants of the compounds obtained are given.