Three carbohydrate-based tolylsulfonyl hydrazines were used to catalyze the three-component Mannich reaction, as well as the adduct reaction of aldehyde and indole to prepare bisindolylalkanes in water. Moderate to good yields were achieved. The results demonstrate that carbohydrate derivatives can be employed as effective catalysts in water, and an environmentally benign methodology was developed to synthesize bioactive bisindolylalkanes and the β-amino carbonyl framework.