Abstract Intramolecular oxidative palladium-catalyzed reactions of indolylallylamides in the presence of the couple bis (acetonitrile) palladium dichloride and copper (II) halide are described. Starting from 2-and 3-indolylallylamides and involving in both cases the C-3 position of the indole nucleus, variously substituted β-carbolinones were obtained by arylation/halogenation, arylation/esterification or arylation/carboalkoxylation processes. ...