A Hg(ClO4)2·3H2O catalyzed Sakurai-Hosomi allylation of isatins and isatin ketoimines using allyltrimethylsilane.

It is reported that Hg(ClO(4))(2)·3H(2)O could efficiently activate the cheap but less reactive allyltrimethylsilane for the allylation of isatins or isatin ketoimines, with catalyst loading down to 0.1 mol %. This is the first example of Sakurai-Hosomi allylation of ketoimines using allyltrimethylsilane. A rare example of chiral mercury catalysis is also reported.