(Parallel) kinetic resolution of 3,3-disubstituted indolines via organocatalyzed reactions with azodicarboxylates

A novel kinetic resolution (KR) method has been developed for 3,3-disubstituted indolines, whose catalytic asymmetric synthesis remains a significant challenge in organic synthesis. The key to the success of this KR protocol lies in the utilization of chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed triazane formation reaction with azodicarboxylates, which enables the enantioselective synthesis of various substituted indolines bearing C3-quaternary stereocenters with good to high enantioselectivities (with s-factors up to 70). Moreover, an intriguing parallel kinetic resolution (PKR) has been developed by combining triazane formation and dehydrogenation reactions using different azodicarboxylates. Experimental studies have provided insight into the mechanism of this PKR reaction, demonstrating stereoselectivity in both triazane formation and dehydrogenation steps, favoring the opposite enantiomers. The large-scale synthesis and diverse derivatizations of the products, particularly the imine group-containing 3H-indoles, demonstrate the value of these (P)KR methods.