A short synthetic strategy for 3,6-disubstituted-N-2-thienyl/aryl-indoles, involving reaction of substituted 2,4-difluoro/dichloro-styrene epoxide with substituted 2-formylaminothiophenes or substitued N-formylanilins in the presence of a base followed by treatment with an acid, has been developed The method was applied for the synthesis of a number of indoles with a variety of substitutents at 1, 3, and 6 positions of the indole moiety. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.