Pd(II)-catalyzed intramolecular amidoarylation of alkenes with molecular oxygen as sole oxidant.

Stereoselective palladium-catalyzed synthesis of structurally versatile indoline derivatives, using molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant, is described. New C-N and C-C bonds form across an alkene in an intramolecular manner. The C-N bond-forming step proceeds via a syn-amidopalladation pathway. The moderate kinetic isotope effects (intramolecular KIE = 3.56) suggest that electrophilic aromatic substitution occurs in the arylation step.