1-Chloromethyl-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2,2,2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate) as novel and versatile reagent for the rapid thiocyanation of indoles, azaindole, and carbazole

Selectfluor<SUP>TM</SUP> is found to catalyze efficiently the electrophilic thiocyanation of indoles and pyrrole with ammonium thiocyanate under mild and neutral conditions to produce the corresponding 3-indolyl and 2-pyrrolyl thiocyanates, respectively, in excellent yields with high selectivity. This method is effective even with azaindole and carbazole while many of reported procedures failed to produce thiocyanates from azaindole