An enantioselective alpha-amination of aryl oxindoles catalyzed by a dimeric quinidine has been developed. The reaction is general, broad in substrate scope, and affords the desired products in good yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities. This study provides the first examples of a general organocatalytic method for the creation of nitrogen-containing, tetrasubstituted chiral centers at C-3 of various aryl oxindoles. Furthermore, new catalysts and insights into structural elements of the catalysts that significantly influence enantioselectivities are disclosed.
N-unprotected ketimines is realized for the first time by employing chiral BIBOP-type ligands with a Rh loading as low as 1 mol %. A range of chiral α-trifluoromethyl-α,α-diaryl α-tertiary amines or 3-amino-3-aryloxindoles were formed with excellent ee values and yields by employing either WingPhos or PFBO-BIBOP as the ligand. The method has enabled an efficient enantioselective synthesis of cipargamin
The bifunctional quinine-derived thiourea catalyst 14 was found to catalyze the direct amination of unprotected3-aryl and aliphatic substitutedoxindoles with di-tert-butylazodicarboxylate (DBAD) to construct a tetrasubstituted stereogenic carbon center at the C-3 position of oxindoles in good to excellent yield and enantioselectivity.