I₂-mediated oxidative dearomatization for the synthesis of spirooxindole-lactones in water

Abstract

We present a I₂-mediated oxidative dearomatization of carboxylic acid-tethered indole derivatives, enabling the synthesis of diverse spirooxindole-lactones in water. Isotope labelling studies demonstrated a dual role for water, acting as both reaction medium and oxygen source of oxindole. The low E-factor and high EcoScale further highlights the synthetic utility of this system.