Regiocontrolled synthesis of carbocycle-fused indoles via arylation of silyl enol ethers with o-nitrophenylphenyliodonium fluoride.

[formula: see text] A new, regiocontrolled synthesis of carbocycle-fused indoles has been developed. The two-step procedure involves first the regiospecific arylation of silyl enol ethers with o-nitrophenylphenyliodonium fluoride (1). Reduction of the nitro group on the aromatic ring with TiCl3 followed by spontaneous condensation of the aniline with the ketone then affords the indole products.