Cu(ii)-catalyzed enantioselective oxygen atom transfer from oxaziridine to oxindole derivatives with chiral phenanthroline.

In the presence of a Cu(ii) complex of axially chiral, N,N,O-tridentate phenanthroline ligand (S)-2, asymmetric oxygen atom transfer of oxindole derivatives (3) using Davis' oxaziridine (4) occurred to give the corresponding 3-aryl-3-hydroxy-2-oxindole derivatives (1) with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 96% ee). The X-ray crystallographic analysis of the isolated Cu(ii) complex disclosed its N,N,O-tridentate coordination, which is critical to realize effective catalytic activity.