Abstract The methylation of 2-formyl-3-hydroxyindole was studied, and the sequence of introduction the methyl groups was traced by 1 H NMR spectroscopy. The O-methyl, N- methyl, and N, O-methyl derivatives of 2-formylindole, and also the O-methyl and N-methyl derivatives of 2-methyl-3-ethoxycarbonyl-4-hydroxypyrrole were synthesized. Novel derivatives of indolyl-and pyrrolylacrylic acids were obtained on the basis of some O-and ...