Indoles having an ester functionality in the 3-position were prepared from 2-(2-nitrophenyl)propenoic acid derivatives via a palladium-catalyzed reductive N-heteroannulation using carbon monoxide as the ultimate reducingagent. The starting materials were prepared either by a Stille coupling of 2-halo-1-nitrobenzenes with ethyl 2-(tributylstannyl)-2-propenoate or by vicarious nucleophilic substitution