A versatile method of synthesis of the quaternary benzo [c] phenanthridine alkaloid (1), having a tertiary benzo [c] phenanthridine skeleton, from the norbase (3) is described. Treatment of the norbase (3) with sodium borohydride in formic or in acetic acid gave the N-methyl-(5) or the N-ethyl-(7) dihydrobase, respectively, in good yield. The N-methyldihydrobase (5) could also be prepared by treatment of the norbase (3) with sodium borohydride and dimethyl sulfate in hexamethylphosphoric triamide. The dihydrobases (5 and 7) were readily convertible to the corresponding quaternary benzo [c] phenanthridine alkaloids by oxidation with Jones reagent or with 2, 3-dichloro-5, 6-dicyano-1, 4-benzoquinone (DDQ) in good yields. In addition, we found that the air-oxidation of the carbanions derived from the ψ-cyanides (11) of the quaternary bases (1) gave the corresponding oxybases (10) in excellent yields.