Copper Anchored on Schiff Base–Functionalised ZnO Nanoparticles: a Robust Heterogeneous Catalyst for Site‐Selective Indole Arylation With Fluorobenzene

ABSTRACT The C–F bond is one of the strongest single bonds in chemistry, making its activation a significant challenge in organic synthesis. Herein, we report a novel heterogeneous and base‐free protocol for the site‐selective arylation of indoles using fluorobenzene derivatives, enabled by a copper–zinc oxide–Schiff base nano–catalyst (Cu–ZnO–Scb). This strategy enables efficient C‐2 and C‐3 arylation of indole, yielding indole‐aryl conjugates in good yield with broad tolerance to functional groups. FE‐SEM, EDS with elemental mapping, HR‐TEM, FTIR, XPS, P‐XRD, UV, and BET were used to characterise the catalyst comprehensively. Notably, the development of a robust, reusable, and heterogeneous catalytic system for direct C–F bond activation under mild conditions represents a significant advancement in sustainable organic synthesis. This study highlights the growing importance of heterogeneous nanocatalysts as a versatile system for overcoming long‐standing challenges in C–F bond activation and for streamlining the synthesis of structurally complex organic scaffolds.