Benzophenone (III) was prepared by Friedel-Crafts acylation of methyl 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylacetate (I) with 4-nitrobenzoic acid (II). Subsequent cyclization of (III) with hydrazine gave rise to benzodiazepinone (IV). This was treated with methyl isocyanate in the presence of triethylamine to yield the corresponding urea (V). Finally, the nitro group of (V) was reduced to the title aniline by catalytic hydrogenation using Pd-C.