Nitromethane as a reagent for the synthesis of 3-nitroindoles from 2-haloarylamine derivatives

A new approach to the synthesis of 3-nitroindoles using palladium-catalyzed arylation of nitromethane with N-(2-bromoaryl)imidates was developed. A convenient and rapid method for cyclization of ethyl N-(2-nitromethylaryl)acetimidates to 2-methyl-3-nitro-1H-indoles was proposed.