Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular CH acylation of indoles with thioester

Abstract A palladium-catalyzed intramolecular C H acylation of indole with thioester is described, providing a direct and effective approach for the synthesis of the biologically active indole-indolone scaffolds. The method obviates the need for the prefunctionalized starting materials including organometallic reagents, alkyl halides, and NHP esters in previous metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction with thioester. Substrates bearing sensitive halo groups are compatible in the reaction, leaving a functional handle for further structural elaborations.