Diastereoselective synthesis of dispirooxindoles via [3+2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides to 3-phenacylideneoxindoles and evaluation of their cytotoxicity

The three-component reaction of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, isatins and 3-phenacylideneoxindoles in refluxing ethanol afforded dispiro[indoline-3,1'-pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-3',3'-indolines] (4a-4x) in good yields via 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of in situ generated azomethine ylide with the exocyclic double bond of 3-phenacylideneoxindoles. 1H NMR spectra and single crystal structures indicated the reaction has high regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity. Furthermore, their biological activities have been preliminarily demonstrated by in vitro evaluation against mouse breast cancer cells 4T1 and human liver cancer cells HepG2 by MTT assay. The results demonstrated that some of the compounds showed cytotoxicities to cell lines of 4T1 and HepG2, and indicated that novel spirooxindoles may become potential lead compounds for further biological screenings of their medicinal applications.

Formation of diverse polycyclic spirooxindoles via three-component reaction of isoquinolinium salts, isatins and malononitrile

The triethylamine promoted three-component reaction of N-(4-nitrobenzyl), N-ethoxycarbonylmethylisoquinolinium bromide, isatins and malononitrile in ethanol afforded spiro[indoline-3,2′-pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines] in good yields and with high diastereoselectivity. The similar reaction of N-cyanomethylisoquinolinium chloride mainly gave complex indolo[2″,3″:2′,3′]pyrrolo[3′,4′:4,5]pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives. However, the three-component reaction of N-cyanomethylisoquinolinium chloride, isatins and ethyl cyanoacetate mainly resulted in functionalized spiro[indoline-3,8′-pyrido[2′,3′:4,5]pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines].

Diastereoselective synthesis of spiro[benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazole-3,3'-indolines] via cycloaddition reaction of N-phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides and 3-methyleneoxindoles

The domino cycloaddition reactions of N-phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides with 3-phenacylideneoxindoles or ethyl 2-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)acetates in ethanol at room temperature in the presence of triethylamine as a base afforded functionalized spiro[benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazole-3,3'-indolines] in good yields and with high diastereoselectivity. The similar reactions of N-phenacylthiazolium bromides with 3-phenacylideneoxindoles resulted in the corresponding functionalized spiro[indoline-3,7'-pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles] in satisfactory yields and also with high diastereoselectivity.

Construction of dispirocyclohexyl-3,3′-bisoxindole and dispirocyclopentyl-3,3′-bisoxindole via domino cycloaddition reactions of N-benzylbenzimidazolium salts with 2-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)acetates

Two kinds of spirocyclic oxindoles were selectively synthesized from cycloaddition of N-benzyl-N-phenacylbenzimidazolium salts with two molecules of 2-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)acetates.