Batting the ylides: A simple procedure carried out under mild conditions allows the direct and efficientsynthesis of structurally diverse indoles. This approach involves a cascadereaction of sulfurylides and N‐(ortho‐chloromethyl)arylamides (see scheme).
N-Phenacyl- and N-acetonyl-isatins can be prepared and converted by treatment with sodium hydroxide into 2-acylindoles and/or 2-acyl indole-3-carboxylic acids.