Relay Catalysis of Bismuth Trichloride and Byproduct Hydrogen Bromide Enables the Synthesis of Carbazole and Benzo[α]carbazoles from Indoles and α-Bromoacetaldehyde Acetals
using bismuth trichloride as a catalyst. The reaction was triggered by a bismuth trichloride‐catalyzed Friedel‐Crafts alkylation of these two precursors, which provided a tryptaldehyde intermediate that underwent intramolecular olefination to form the final product. Interestingly, the HBr byproduct generated in the upstream step of the reaction catalyzed the following downstream reaction steps, thus