Rhodium catalyzed C2-selective cyanation of indoles and pyrroles.

An efficient and general rhodium(III) catalyzed C2-selective cyanation of indoles and pyrroles was accomplished employing easily accessible and environmentally friendly cyanating reagent, NCTS. This methodology tolerates various functional groups, uses readily removable directing groups and allows the synthesis of various 2-cyanoindoles and pyrroles in good to excellent yield.