practical and facile method for synthesizing indole 3-acetic acid and azaindole 3-acetic acidderivatives was developed by using 2-hydroxy-1-tosylindoline-3-triethylammonium bromide and 3-bromo-2-hydroxy-1-tosylazaindoline as starting materials. The lactone derivatives obtained by the reaction with Meldrum's acid and triethylamine were used as key intermediates, in which the acetic acid unit was introduced