Enantioselective organocatalytic Friedel-Crafts reaction of electron-rich phenols and isatins by Takemoto's thiourea catalyst

Takemoto's catalysts were used to organocatalyze the enantioselective Friedel-Crafts reaction with different electron-rich phenols and substituted isatins. The resulting 3-aryl-3-hydroxyl-2-oxindoles were obtained in good yields (85-96%) with up to 99% ee. The substrate scope was broadened with this methodology compared to reported examples catalyzed by cinchonidine thiourea.

Asymmetric synthesis of spiro[4H-chromene-3,3'-oxindoles] via a squaramide-organocatalytic three-component cascade Knoevenagel/Michael/cyclization sequence

Asymmetric synthesis of spiro[4H-chromene-3,3'-oxindole] derivatives was realized through an organocatalytic cascade Knoevenagel/Michael/cyclization reaction using a quinidine-derived squaramide. Under the optimized conditions, the reactions of isatins, malononitrile, and sesamol yield the desired spirooxindoles in good yields (75-87%) and moderate to high ee values (up to 90% ee).

Urea derivative organocatalyzed enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of α-naphthols with isatins

An organocatalytic enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of α-naphthols with isatin derivatives was catalyzed by Takemoto-type urea catalyst to give optical active 3-(naphthalen-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles in 75%-92% yields with up to 95% enantiomeric excess (ee) value. The catalyst type and the substrate scope were broadened in this methodology.

Enantioselective construction of a congested quaternary stereogenic center in isoindolinones bearing three aryl groups via an organocatalytic formal Betti reaction

An efficient enantioselective formal Betti reaction between phenols and diaryl ketimines generated in situ from isoindolinone alcohols is described.

Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of biologically important 3-hydroxyoxindoles: an update

Oxindole scaffolds are prevalent in natural products and have been recognized as privileged substructures in new drug discovery. Several oxindole-containing compounds have advanced into clinical trials for the treatment of different diseases. Among these compounds, enantioenriched 3-hydroxyoxindole scaffolds also exist in natural products and have proven to possess promising biological activities. A large number of catalytic asymmetric strategies toward the construction of 3-hydroxyoxindoles based on transition metal catalysis and organocatalysis have been reported in the last decades. Additionally, 3-hydroxyoxindoles as versatile precursors have also been used in the total synthesis of natural products and for constructing structurally novel scaffolds. In this review, we aim to provide an overview about the catalytic asymmetric synthesis of biologically important 3-substituted 3-hydroxyoxindoles and 3-hydroxyoxindole-based further transformations.

Maleimide as an efficient nucleophilic partner in the aza-Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction: synthesis of chiral 3-substituted-3-aminooxindoles

A highly enantioselective β-isocupreidine catalyzed aza-Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction of maleimides with isatin derived ketimines provides 3-substituted-3-aminooxindoles with enantiomeric excess upto 99%.