prepared by the lithiation - electrophilic quenching of 1-methyl-, 1-methoxymethyl-, and 1-(2-trimethylsilylethoxymethyl)indoletricarbonylchromium(O) complexes. C-2 of the 1-methylindole series had to be blocked to achieve subsequent7-(and 4-) metallation, but the other series could be directly metallated at C-7 without attack at C-4 by 1-alkoxymethyl directedlithiation. Metallation at C-2 in the 1-alkoxymethyl