Rhodium-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to isatins: An entry to diversity in 3-aryl-3-hydroxyoxindoles

A general method for the catalytic 1,2-addition of aryl and alkenyl boronic acids to isatins is described using a rhodium(I)/triphenylphosphite catalyst. The application of this transformation allows the synthesis of a variety of 3-aryl-3-hydroxyoxindole building blocks in high yields. An enantioselective version of this reaction using a rhodium(I)/phosphoramidite system is also presented.