Abstract A variety of tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-ones and analogs were conveniently synthesized from the reaction of the corresponding 2-(phenylamino) cyclohex-2-enone with hypervalent iodine reagent PhI (OCOCF 3) 2 (PIFA), through a direct intramolecular oxidative C (sp 2)–C (sp 2) bond formation. This approach realized the construction of the biologically important tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-one and tetrahydrocyclohepta [b] indol-6 ( ...