The rhodium(II) carbenoid cyclization–cycloaddition cascade of α-diazo dihydroindolinones for the synthesis of novel azapolycyclic ring systems

Tandem carbonyl ylide formation–1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of α-diazo N-acetyl-tetrahydro-β-carbolin-1-one derivatives occur efficiently in the presence of a dirhodium catalyst to afford bimolecular cycloadducts in high yield. The Rh(II)-catalyzed reaction also takes place intramolecularly to give products derived from trapping of the carbonyl ylide dipole with a tethered alkene. The power of the intramolecular cascade sequence is that it rapidly assembles a pentacyclic ring system containing three new stereocenters and two adjacent quaternary centers stereospecifically in a single step and in high yield.