NOVELTY - Process (P1) for preparing 6-chloro-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-1-carboxylic acid alkyl ester (Ib), involves: reacting 3-bromo-2-oxo-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid alkyl ester (Ia) and 4-chloroaniline under heating in a solvent that forms an azeotropic mixture with water.    USE - For preparing 6-chloro-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-1-carboxylic acid alkyl ester used for the preparation of 6-chloro-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-1-carboxamide (all claimed) useful in the preparation of medicaments for treating diseases including cancer, metabolic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, type I diabetes or type II diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, spinalbulbar muscular atrophy or Kennedy's disease, spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1), SCA2, Machado-Joseph disease, SCA6, SCA7, and SCA12.    ADVANTAGE - The process for preparing (Ib) avoids the drawbacks in the prior art and is conveniently applicable on a technical scale. The reaction between (Ia) and 4-chloroaniline can be carried out in far safer conditions under heating using a solvent that forms an azeotropic mixture with water. The process does not require chromatographic purification of the final product and allows to obtain (Ib) in crystalline form A. Moreover, the use of the solvent ethyl ether, which is hazardous on a technical scale, is avoided, and the impact on the environment is reduced by eliminating the amount of chlorinated solvent waste.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Process (P1) for preparing 6-chloro-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-1-carboxylic acid alkyl ester of formula (Ib), involves: reacting 3-bromo-2-oxo-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid alkyl ester of formula (Ia) and 4-chloroaniline under heating in a solvent that forms an azeotropic mixture with water.    R1=1-6C alkyl, preferably ethyl.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a process (P2) for the preparation of 6-chloro-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazole-1-carboxamide (I), involving: conversion of (Ia) into compound (Ib), followed by reaction of (Ib) with ammonia.