(Z)-3-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-2-(3-thienyl)acrylonitrile and (Z)-3-[1-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-2-(3-thienyl)acrylonitrile.

(Z)-3-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-2-(3-thienyl)acrylonitrile, C15H10N2S, (I), and (Z)-3-[1-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-2-(3-thienyl)acrylonitrile, C26H24N2S, (II), were prepared by base-catalyzed reactions of the corresponding indole-3-carboxaldehyde with thiophene-3-acetonitrile. 1H/13C NMR spectral data and X-ray crystal structures of compounds (I) and (II) are presented. The olefinic bond connecting the indole and thiophene moieties has Z geometry in both cases, and the molecules crystallize in space groups P2(1)/c and C2/c for (I) and (II), respectively. Slight thienyl ring-flip disorder (ca 5.6%) was observed and modeled for (I).