Brønsted Acid Promoted Regioselective C‐3 Arylation and Heteroarylation of Spiro‐epoxyoxindoles for the Construction of All Carbon Quaternary Centres: A Detailed Study

Abstract

An efficient strategy for the synthesis of all carbon quaternary centres has been developed via Brønsted acid‐promoted highly regioselective intermolecular Friedel–Crafts reactions of heteroarenes or arenes with spiro‐epoxyoxindoles. In addition, we have successfully performed the ring opening reaction in relatively cheap condition using water as a solvent. Beneficially, we have utilized the methodology as the key step for the synthesis of advanced precursors of various natural and unnatural indole alkaloids.