3-Pyrrolyl-oxindoles as efficient nucleophiles for organocatalytic asymmetric synthesis of structurally diverse 3,3'-disubstituted oxindole derivatives.

A range of 3-pyrrolyl-3,3'-disubstituted oxindoles were smoothly obtained via the reaction of 3-pyrrolyl-oxindoles with nitroalkenes using an organocatalyst. The usefulness of the protocol was also demonstrated by the versatile conversions of the Michael adducts into other functionalized 3,3'-disubstituted oxindoles, as well as into the analogues of some valuable natural products.