Extending Pummerer reaction chemistry. Examination of the prospects for forming vicinal quaternary carbon centers

Pummerer chemistry applied to 2-sulfinyl indoles promotes oxidative cyclization of pendant nucleophiles to furnish C(3) spirocyclic indolenine products. Use of tetrasubstituted silyl enol ether nucleophiles in this transform yields spirocycles featuring vicinal all-carbon quaternary centers in two cases, but fails when a nearby amine can intervene.