Rhodium-Catalyzed Enantioselective Reductive Arylation: Convenient Access to 3,3-Disubstituted Oxindoles.

A rhodium-Josiphos(L*) catalyzed enantioselective intramolecular hydroarylation reaction is described. The reductive cyclization of o-bromoaniline-derived acrylamides provides convenient access to 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivity across a range of substrates. We propose that the key cyclization proceeds via a rhodium(III) intermediate. Overall, this method represents an unusual mode of reactivity for rhodium catalysis and is complementary to palladium(0)-catalyzed α-arylation methods.