A pyrrole and two pyrroloindoles that are substituted with a p-toluenesulfonyl group undergo an ipso acylation – detosylation reaction with acid chlorides and aluminum chloride to afford the corresponding acyl-substituted pyrroles and pyrroloindoles.Key words: pyrrole, pyrroloindole, ipso acylation, detosylation, Friedel–Crafts reaction.