Palladium-catalyzed cyanoalkenylation of indoles

A palladium-catalyzed one-pot, three component method for the synthesis of indolyl diphenyl(-or dialkyl)acrylonitriles using 3-iodoindoles, alkynes and safe and nontoxic K4[Fe(CN)6]∙3H2O as the cyanating agent has been developed.