One-pot tandem approach to spirocyclic oxindoles featuring adjacent spiro-stereocenters

Abstract

All in a sequence: An organocatalyzed Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH)/bromination/[3+2] annulation sequence for highly stereoselective syntheses of bis(spirooxindole)s featuring adjacent spiro-stereocenters is described. The key step is an unprecedented catalytic asymmetric [3+2] annulation of isatin-derived MBH adducts, containing a tetrasubstituted alkene moiety, with isatins.

Keywords: asymmetric catalysis; heterocycles; organocatalysis; spiro compounds; synthetic methods.