A novel regioselective synthesis of a number of functionalized 3-spiropyrrolizidine and 3-spiropyrrolidine oxindoles from Baylis-Hillman adducts of isatin and heteroaldehydes via [3+2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides in excellent yields has been reported.

An activation of the pyridine nucleus has been achieved via 1,5-electrocyclization of vinyl pyridinium ylides generated from bromo isomerized Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts of isatin and pyridine under basic conditions. The method has been successfully applied for an efficient synthesis of a number of 3-spirodihydroindolizine-2-oxindoles, which have been found as core structure of secoyohimbane and heteroyohimbane alkaloid natural products.

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4-Aryl-2,3-dihydro-4H-pyrimido[2,3-b]benzothiazoles (4-Ar-DHPBs) were synthesized and their catalytic activity and selectivity in kinetic resolution of a secondary alcohol as well as in the Steglich rearrangement and related reactions were evaluated. 4-Aryl-DHPBs showed low enantioselectivity in the acylative kinetic resolution of 1-phenylethanol. Conversely, they catalyzed the Steglich rearrangement with moderate to excellent enantioselectivity, demonstrating the possibility for remote stereocontrol by introduction of a substituent at the 4-position of DHPB.