Palladium/Copper Cocatalyzed Coupling Reaction of Aroyl Hydrazides with Indoles

An unprecedented palladium/copper cocatalyzed coupling reaction of indoles with simple aroyl hydrazides has been developed under aerobic conditions. A range of aroyl hydrazides underwent palladium/copper cocatalyzed oxidative arylation with indoles open to air in a 1:1 mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide and nitromethane to give structurally diverse 2‐arylindoles or 3‐arylindoles in moderate to good yields. The reaction well tolerates a wide variety of functional groups such as alkoxy, halo, ester.