Rapid access to spirocylic oxindoles: application of asymmetric N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed [3 + 3] cycloaddition of imines to oxindole-derived enals.

A chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed [3 + 3] cycloaddition reaction of imines and oxindole-derived enals was developed for rapid access to spirocylic oxindoles. In most cases, the desired spirocylic oxindole products were obtained in high yields and excellent enantioselectivities with less than 1 h of reaction time.