Chiral Brønsted acid catalyzed enantioselective syntheses of isoindolinones and phthalides have been accomplished via tandem Mannich-lactamization and aldol-lactonization reactions, respectively. A variety of enantioenriched isoindolinones (up to 99% ee) and phthalides (up to 85% ee) containing α-diazoesters were afforded in excellent yields. Furthermore, a concise synthesis of (S)-PD 172938 has been demonstrated by using this protocol.

A chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed asymmetric Mannich-type reaction of α-diazo esters with in situ generated N-acyl ketimines, derived from 3-hydroxyisoindolinones has been demonstrated in this communication. A variety of isoindolinone-based α-amino diazo esters bearing a quaternary stereogenic center were afforded in high yields (up to 99%) with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee). Furthermore, the synthetic utility of the products has been depicted by the hydrogenation of the diazo moiety of adducts.

An efficient diastereo- and enantioselective route to access a wide range of highly substituted pyrrolidine and pyrrolizidine derivatives has been described via (1,3)- and double (1,3)-dipolar cycloaddition reactions catalyzed by the (R)-DM-SEGPHOS-Ag(I) complex. The reactions proceed smoothly at ambient temperature, affording a variety of pyrrolidines and pyrrolizidines in high yields (up to 93%) with up to 99:1 dr and excellent enantioselectivities (up to 98% ee) without any additives. The newly synthesized pyrrolidine and pyrrolizidine derivatives contain four and seven contiguous stereogenic centers, respectively. Moreover, the synthetic utility of enantioenriched products has been demonstrated by transforming them into various synthetically useful advanced intermediates.

A novel organocatalytic asymmetric formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition of 3-substituted 1H-indoles with in situ generated 3-hydroxy-isoindolinone-derived β,γ-alkynyl-α-ketimines has been developed. A variety of biologically relevant chiral spiro-isoindolinone-indolines were achieved with excellent yields (up to 99%) and enantioselectivity (up to 99% ee) under mild conditions. The gram-scale reaction of this methodology and several interesting transformations of the products have been demonstrated.

A Brønsted acid-catalyzed asymmetric Mannich-type addition of 1,3-diones to cyclic N-acyl ketimines is reported for the synthesis of enantioenriched isoindolinones. Various dicarbonyl-substituted isoindolinones bearing quaternary carbon stereocenter were synthesized with...