2-Substituted 3-arylindoles through palladium-catalyzed arylative cyclization of 2-alkynyltrifluoroacetanilides with arylboronic acids under oxidative conditions.

Free NH 2-substituted 3-arylindoles have been prepared usually in good to high yields through the palladium-catalyzed reaction of readily available 2-alkynyltrifluoroacetanilides with arylboronic acids under oxidative conditions. The reaction tolerates a variety of useful functional groups both in the arylboronic acid and in the alkyne, including chloro, formyl, and ester groups.