Iron-Catalyzed Decarboxylative (4+1) Cycloadditions: Exploiting the Reactivity of Ambident Iron-Stabilized Intermediates

The first example of iron-catalyzed decarboxylative (4+ 1) cycloaddition reactions is described in this publication. By using this method, a wide range of functionalized indoline products were prepared from easily available vinyl benzoxazinanones and sulfur ylides in high yields and selectivities. A possible reaction pathway involving an allylic iron intermediate is discussed based on a series of control experiments and density-functional theory calculations.