Expanding the scope of cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed enantioselective alpha-aminations of oxindoles: a versatile approach to optically active 3-amino-2-oxindole derivatives.

A cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed, highly enantioselective, alpha-amination of oxindoles has been developed. The reaction is general, operationally simple, and affords the desired products in high yields with good to excellent enantioselectivity. Significantly, this study provides a general catalytic method for the construction of a C-N bond at the C3 position of oxindoles as well as for the creation of a nitrogen-containing, tetrasubstituted chiral center.