Zn(OAc)2-catalyzed highlyregioselective carbonylacetylation of indoles and pyrroles with α-diazoketones has been developed. This transformation involves a combination of Wolff rearrangement/cross-coupling relay and provides an efficient approach to versatile 3-carbonylacetylindoles and 2-carbonylacetylpyrroles with a broad range of functionalgroup tolerance.