Abstract The reaction of a cyclopalladated 1-arylazonaphthalene with tetrabutylammonium cyanide leads to an ortho-cyano-1-arylazonaphthalene and a 3-amino-aryl-benzo [g] indazole, depending upon whether triphenylphosphine or 1, 2-bis (diphenyl-phosphino) ethane (DIPHOS) is used to monomerize the binuclear Pd (II)-complex. In a similar insertion reaction with cyclohexyl isocyanide the corresponding 3-(N-cyclohexyl)-aminoindazole is ...