Zn(OAc)2-catalyzed highly regioselective 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 functional group
tolerance.