Versatile Access to Chiral Indolines by Catalytic Asymmetric Fischer Indolization

Abstract

“Fisching” for complexity: The chiral Brønsted acid (R)-STRIP catalyzes the asymmetric Fischer indolization of a range of monosubstituted cyclopentanones and cyclohexanones to give chiral fused indolines bearing a quaternary stereogenic center at the 3-position. The method has been extended to include substrates bearing a tethered nucleophile, thus allowing for enantioselective indolization/ring-closing cascades to complex propellanes featuring two vicinal quaternary stereocenters.