Recent progress in the synthesis of phosphorus-containing indole derivatives

Phosphorus-containing indole derivatives represent a special class of phosphorus-containing nitrogen heterocycles, which not only widely exist in pharmaceutical agents, but also have widespread applications in materials science and organic synthesis as ligands and intermediates. The synthesis of such compounds is of current interest, with two major synthetic strategies being established. This review summarizes the recent progress in this field, including the advantages and limitations of each subdivisional tactic, briefly discusses the reaction mechanisms and challenges, and outlines the synthetic opportunities still open.