To utilize the unique scaffold of a natural product indirubin, we herein adopted the strategy of combined pharmacophores to design and synthesize a series of novel indirubin derivatives as dual inhibitors against cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) and histone deacetylase (HDAC). Among them, the lead compound 8b with remarkable CDK2/4/6 and HDAC6 inhibitory activity of IC 50 = 60.9 ± 2.9, 276 ± 22.3, 27.2 ± 4.2, and 128.6 ± 0.4 nM, respectively, can efficiently induce apoptosis and S-phase arrest in several cancer cell lines. In particular, compound 8b can prevent the proliferation of a non-small-cell lung cancer cell line (A549) through the Mcl-1/XIAP/PARP axis, in agreement with the unique modes of action of the combined agents of HDAC inhibitors and CDK inhibitors. In an A549 xerograph model, compound 8b showed significant antitumor efficacy correlated with its dual inhibition. Our data demonstrated that compound 8b as a single agent could be a promising drug candidate for cancer therapy in combination with CDK and HDAC inhibitors.

The first KI-catalyzed direct acyloxylation of indolin-3-ones with carboxylic acids has been developed using 30% aq. H2O2 as a green oxidant at room temperature. Moreover, mechanism studies indicated that a radical oxidation process may be involved for this transformation.

An organocatalytic asymmetric α-sulfenylation of 2-substituted indolin-3-ones with N-(alkylthio or arylthio)succinimides has been developed for the first time using Cinchona-derived squaramide as the catalyst. Various chiral 2,2disubstituted indole-3-ones with S-and N-containing heteroquaternary carbon stereocenters were obtained with up to 98% yield and 99% ee.

A one-pot approach for the asymmetric synthesis of C2-tetrasubstituted indolin-3-ones from 2substituted indoles was developed via merging transition metal catalysis with organocatalysis. This strategy involves two processes, including CuI catalyzed oxidative dearomatization of 2-substituted indoles using O 2 as green oxidant, and followed by an proline-promoted asymmetric Mannich reaction with ketones or aldehydes. A series of C2-tetrasubstituted indolin-3-ones were obtained in 35-86% yields, 2:1-> 20:1 dr and 48-99% ee. Moreover, the synthetic 2-tetrasubstituted indolin-3-ones could be easily transformed into 1H-[1,3] oxazino [3,4-a]indol-5(3H)-ones via a [4 + 1] cyclization process. In addition, the synthetic compound 3 s show certain antibacterial activity against S. aureus ATCC25923 and multi-drug resistance bacterial strain of S. aureus (20151027077) and its MIC values up to 8 μg/mL and 16 μg/mL, respectively.