Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of 3-hydroxyl-2-oxindoles via enantioselective Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction of isatins

The enantioselective Morita–Baylis–Hillman reaction of acrylates to isatins was investigated for the first time, employing bifunctional phosphinothiourea organocatalysts based on chiral cyclohexane scaffold. The 3-hydroxyl-2-oxindole derivatives were obtained in excellent yields with moderate enantioselectivity (up to 69% ee) in the presence of 10 mol % catalyst 1b.