Building molecular complexity from simple feedstocks through precise peripheral and skeletal modifications is central to modern organic synthesis. Nevertheless, a controllable strategy through which both the core skeleton and the periphery of an aromatic heterocycle can be modified with a common substrate remains elusive, despite its potential to maximize structural diversity and applications. Here we report a carbene-initiated chemodivergent molecular editing of indoles that allows both skeletal and peripheral editing by trapping an electrophilic fluoroalkyl carbene generated in situ from fluoroalkyl N-triftosylhydrazones. A variety of fluorine-containing N-heterocyclic scaffolds have been efficiently achieved through tunable chemoselective editing reactions at the skeleton or periphery of indoles, including one-carbon insertion, C3 gem-difluoroolefination, tandem cyclopropanation and N1 gem-difluoroolefination, and cyclopropanation. The power of this chemodivergent molecular editing strategy has been highlighted through the modification of the skeleton or periphery of natural products in a controllable and chemoselective manner. The reaction mechanism and origins of the chemo- and regioselectivity have been probed by both experimental and theoretical methods.

从简单的原料通过精确的外围和骨架修饰构建分子复杂性是现代有机合成的核心。然而，尽管具有最大化结构多样性和应用的潜力，但通过共同底物修饰芳香杂环的核心骨架和外围的可控策略仍然难以捉摸。在这里，我们报道了一种卡宾引发的吲哚化学发散分子编辑，通过捕获由氟烷基N-三氟甲苯基腙原位生成的亲电子氟烷基卡宾，可以进行骨架和外周编辑。通过在吲哚骨架或外围进行可调节的化学选择性编辑反应，可以有效地实现多种含氟N-杂环支架，包括单碳插入、C3宝石二氟烯化、串联环丙烷化和N1宝石二氟烯化和环丙烷化。通过以可控和化学选择性的方式修饰天然产物的骨架或外围，这种化学趋异分子编辑策略的力量得到了凸显。通过实验和理论方法探讨了化学选择性和区域选择性的反应机制和起源。