A mild and efficient C(sp )-H nitration of 3-substituted indoles, by using the economical and non-toxic cobalt nitrate hexahydrate [Co(NO ) ⋅6 H O] as a catalyst and tert-butyl nitrite (TBN) as the nitro source, is reported. This approach provides a unique methodology involving a site-selective C-N bond formation for preparation of C-2 substituted nitro indoles. Utilization of the tBoc as the removable directing group enhances the synthetic utility of the method.

An Ir­(III)-catalyzed C(3)–H alkylation of N-acetyl-1,2-dihydroisoquinolines with diverse acceptor–acceptor diazo compounds has been achieved under a single catalytic system via metal carbene migratory insertion. Moreover, further synthetic transformations of the alkylated products such as aromatization, selective decarboxylation, and decarbonylation lead to the formation of several synthetically viable isoquinoline derivatives having immense potentials.

A regioselective Pd(ii)-catalysed C-2 arylation of benzofurans, benzothiophenes and benzoselenophenes is described using dioxazolones as a masked ester surrogate.