The First Enantioselective Organocatalytic Synthesis of 3-Spiro-α-Alkylidene-γ-Butyrolactone Oxindoles

Enantioselective Organocatalytic Three-Component Vinylogous Michael/Aldol Tandem Reaction among 3-Alkylidene oxindoles, Methyleneindolinones, and Aldehydes

We reported a one-pot enantioselective three-component vinylogous Michael/aldol tandem reaction of prochiral 3-alkylidene oxindoles with methyleneindolinones and aldehydes using bifunctional organocatalysts. A variety of enantioenriched 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles 3 and spirolactones 4 were generated in moderate yields (up to 78%) with high stereoselectivities (up to >20:1 dr, >99% ee). Intriguingly, we observed that the aldol reaction with paraformaldehyde generates 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles 3 bearing a hydroxymethyl group, while the reaction with aliphatic aldehydes generates spirolactones 4.

Stereoselective synthesis and applications of spirocyclic oxindoles

This review summaries recent synthetic developments towards spirocyclic oxindoles and applications as valuable medicinal and synthetic targets.

Titanocene(III)-Mediated 5-exo-trig Radical Cyclization: En Route to Spirooxindole-Based Tetrahydrofuran and Bicyclic Lactone

The isatin core system is of immense importance due to the highly reactive prochiral C-3 position, which paves an easy way to construct large arrays of spirooxindole heterocyclic motifs. Herein, we depict an isatin-derived and 3,3'-disubstituted oxindole-appended epoxy-acrylate undergoing Cp₂Ti(III)Cl-mediated reductive oxirane-ring opening with concomitant intramolecular 5-exo-trig radical cyclization leading to tetrahydrofuran-based oxa-spirooxindole systems. The fused spirooxindole structural feature is embedded in many natural products and tends to exhibit a wide spectrum of biological activities. The presence of more than one quaternary center and the availability of multiple functional groups like hydroxyl, ester, or lactone in the resultant products expand the scope of synthetic applications of the newly acquired oxa-spirooxindole molecules.

Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral Bis(indolyl)methanes Using a Ts-PyBidine-Nickel Complex

A chiral tosyl-substituted bis(imidazolidine)pyridine Ts-PyBidine-nickel complex was an efficient catalyst for Friedel-Crafts reaction of indoles with methylene indolinones to give bisindolylmethane compounds having differently oxidized indole units with high enantioselectivities. Alkylation of the products proceeded smoothly in a highly diastereoselective manner, providing an all-carbon quaternary carbon center without significant loss of enantiomeric excess.

Enantioselective Synthesis of 2-Oxindole Spirofused Lactones and Lactams by Heck/Carbonylative Cylization Sequences: Method Development and Applications

An efficient one-pot assembly of all-carbon spiro-oxindole compounds from non-oxindole-based materials has been developed through a palladium-catalyzed asymmetric Heck/carbonylative lactonization and lactamization sequence. Diversified spirooxindole γ-and δ-lactones/lactams were accessed in high yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99 % ee) under mild reaction conditions. The natural product coixspirolactam A was conveniently synthesized by applying the current methodology, and thus its absolute configuration was elucidated for the first time. Asymmetric synthesis of an effective CRTH2 receptor antagonist has also been demonstrated utilizing this method in the key step.

Mechanistic Studies on the Michael Addition of Amines and Hydrazines To Nitrostyrenes: Nitroalkane Elimination via a Retro-aza-Henry-Type Process

In this article we report on the mechanistic studies of the Michael addition of amines and hydrazines to nitrostyrenes. Under the present conditions, the corresponding N-alkyl/aryl substituted benzyl imines and N-methyl/phenyl substituted benzyl hydrazones were observed via a retro-aza-Henry-type process. By combining organic synthesis and characterization experiments with computational chemistry calculations, we reveal that this reaction proceeds via a protic solvent-mediated mechanism. Experiments in deuterated methanol CD₃OD reveal the synthesis and isolation of the corresponding deuterated intermediated Michael adduct, results that support the proposed slovent-mediated pathway. From the synthetic point of view, the reaction occurs under mild, noncatalytic conditions and can be used as a useful platform to yield the biologically important N-methyl pyrazoles in a one-pot manner, simple starting with the corresponding nitrostyrenes and the methylhydrazine.

Recent advances in spirocyclization of indole derivatives

This tutorial review provides a good introduction to spirocyclization reactions of indole derivatives and highlights the recent advances in the construction of spiroindolines and spiroindoles.

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of spirooxindoles: recent developments

The past four years have witnessed significant developments in the field of the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of spirooxindoles, and this feature article outlines the recent progress in this area, including the contributions of our group. This article is divided into sections according to the size and type of the generated spiro-ring fused at the C3-position of the oxindole core.

Non-Covalent Organocatalyzed Domino Reactions Involving Oxindoles: Recent Advances

The ubiquitous presence of spirooxindole architectures with several functionalities and stereogenic centers in bioactive molecules has been appealing for the development of novel methodologies seeking their preparation in high yields and selectivities. Expansion and refinement in the field of asymmetric organocatalysis have made possible the development of straightforward strategies that address these two requisites. In this review, we illustrate the current state-of-the-art in the field of spirooxindole synthesis through the use of non-covalent organocatalysis. We aim to provide a concise overview of very recent methods that allow to the isolation of unique, densely and diversified spirocyclic oxindole derivatives with high structural diversity via the use of cascade, tandem and domino processes.

Nitro-enabled catalytic enantioselective formal umpolung alkenylation of β-ketoesters

A formal umpolung strategy is presented for the enantioselective installation of an alkenyl group with a terminal double bond at a tertiary center. This one-pot two-step sequence relies on the unique features of the nitro group, which after inverting the polarity of the alkenylating agent toward the desired bond formation, itself serves as a leaving group. The application of this protocol to cyclic β-ketoesters results in densely functionalized products, bearing an all-carbon quaternary stereocenter including an alkenyl substituent with a terminal double bond, in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities.

Molecular Hybridization-Guided One-Pot Multicomponent Synthesis of Turmerone Motif-Fused 3,3'-Pyrrolidinyl-dispirooxindoles via a 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition Reaction

Described herein is the development of a facile and efficient methodology for the synthesis of novel turmerone motif-fused 3,3′-pyrrolidinyl-dispirooxindoles 3–5 via a multicomponent 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of dienones 2 with azomethine ylides (thermally generated in situfrom isatins and proline or thioproline or sarcosine). Products bearing four or three consecutive stereocenters consist of two oxindole moieties and a pyrrolidinyl core, including vicinal spiroquaternary stereocenters fused in one ring structure were smoothly obtained in high yields (up to 93% yield) with good diastereoselectivity (up to >20:1). Another valuable application of this method was for the design of new hybrid architectures for biological screening through the adequate fusion of these sub-units of turmerone and 3,3′-pyrrolidinyl-dispirooxindole, generating drug-like molecules.

β-Functionalization of Indolin-2-one-Derived Aliphatic Acids for the Divergent Synthesis of Spirooxindole γ-Butyrolactones

β-Functionalization of indolin-2-one-derived aliphatic acids has been applied in formal [3 + 2] annualtions for catalyst-free and divergent synthesis of two series of structurally interesting 3,3'-spirooxindole γ-butyrolactones that may be attractive for potential drug discovery. These findings also pave the way for further diversity-oriented synthesis of spirooxindoles starting from indolin-2-one-derived aliphatic acids or their derivatives.

tert-Butyl (2S,3R,4R)-7′-bromo-4-methyl-2′,5-dioxo-4,5-dihydro-3H-spiro[furan-2,3′-indoline]-3-carboxylate

In the title compound, C17H18BrNO5, the furan ring has an envelope conformation with the carboxylate substituted C atom as the flap. The planar indoline ring is inclined to the mean plane of the furan ring by 87.5 (2)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds forming chains propagating along the a-axis direction.

Tin powder-promoted one-pot synthesis of 3-spiro-fused or 3,3′-disubstituted 2-oxindoles

A convenient and efficient method for the constructions of 3-spirooxindole derivatives or 3,3′-disubstituted oxindoles has been developed from one-pot reactions of isatins, hydrazides or aromatic amines, 2-(bromomethyl)acrylic ester in the presence of a catalytic amount of Brønsted or Lewis acid promoted by tin powder instead of toxic stannanes.