An approach to spirooxindoles via palladium-catalyzed remote C-H activation and dual alkylation with CH2Br2.

A facile and efficient approach for the synthesis of spirooxindoles has been developed via the coupling of spirocyclic C,C-palladacycles with CH2Br2. The key spirocyclic palladacycles are generated catalytically via remote C-H activation. A range of spirooxindoles can be synthesized in good to excellent yields from readily available starting material.