Recent Advances in Metal-catalyzed Alkylation, Alkenylation and Alkynylation of Indole/indoline Benzenoid Nucleus.

Selective editing of the benzenoid C-H bonds (C4-C7) in indoles/indolines has received great interest because functionalized indoles/indolines are featured in many marketed drugs and natural products. Transition-metal-catalyzed directed C-H functionalization has thus been developed to manipulate the benzenoid core through C-C and C-heteroatom bond formation. This review covers the recent advances in selective C-C bond forming reactions, alkylation, alkenylation and alkynylation, over the benzenoid ring (C4-C7) of indoles/indolines using metal catalysis.