Zinc-mediated Barbier reactions of pyrrole and indoles: a new method for the alkylation of pyrrole and indoles

Pyrrole and indoles react smoothly with alkyl halides such as allyl bromide, prenyl bromide, crotyl bromide and propargyl bromide in the presence of zinc metal in THF to afford the corresponding 3- and 2-alkyl pyrrole and 3-alkyl indole derivatives in good yields with high regioselectivity.