Facile and Convenient One-Pot Process for the Synthesis of Spirooxindole Derivatives in High Optical Purity Using (-)-(S)-Brevicolline as an Organocatalyst

The paper presents an application of the asymmetry approach to spirooxindoles via Brevicolline, Cinchonidine or Cinchonine catalyzed one-pot multicomponent synthesis. Brevicolline, in comparison with Cinchonidine or Cinchonine, catalyzes the reaction of isatins, acetylacetone/ethyl 3-oxobutanoate and malononitrile, with the formation of spiro[oxindole-3,4'-4'H-pirane] derivatives in an optically active form in very good to excellent yields.