Catalytic asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of N-unprotected 2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene derivatives and azomethine ylides for the construction of spirooxindole-pyrrolidines.

Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of N-unprotected 2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene with azomethine ylides for the construction of spirooxindole-pyrrolidines bearing four contiguous stereogenic centers has been achieved with AgOAc/TF-BiphamPhos complexes for the first time. This catalytic system performance well over a broad scope of substrates, providing the synthetically useful adducts in high yields and excellent diastereoselectivities and moderate enantioselectivities.