Organocatalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Fluorooxindoles to Quinone Methides

J Org Chem. 2024 Apr 15. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.4c00062. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Fluorooxindoles undergo asymmetric Michael addition to para-quinone methides under phase-transfer conditions with 10 mol% of a readily available cinchona alkaloid ammonium catalyst. This reaction affords sterically encumbered, multifunctional fluorinated organic compounds displaying two adjacent chirality centers with high yields, ee's and dr's.