TfOH-catalyzed one-pot sequential reaction of indoles, acetophenones (cyclic ketones), and various 3-methyleneoxindolines in toluene afforded polysubstituted tetrahydrospiro[carbazole-1,3'-indoline]s in satisfactory yields. H NMR spectra and single-crystal structures indicated that the obtained tetrahydrospiro[carbazole-1,3'-indoline]s existing in an unusual trans-configuration. The reaction mechanism was believed to proceed with domino acid-catalyzed 3-alkenylation of indoles with acetophenones, Diels-Alder reaction of 3-alkyenylindoles with 3-methyleneoxindolines, and an acid-catalyzed diastereoisomerization process.

A versatile synthesis of ArCF2X and [18F]­Ar-CF3 type compounds from readily available ArCF2SO2CF3 has been developed. Diverse nucleophiles, including weak nucleophiles such as halides (18F–, Cl–, Br–, and I–), RSH, and ROH, could react with ArCF2SO2CF3 efficiently to give the corresponding difluoromethylene products. The control experiments and the Hammett plot indicated that the reaction might proceed through a difluorocarbocation intermediate generated from the steric hindrance-assisted cleavage of the trifluoromethylsulfonyl group.

The triethylamine promoted stepwise 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of N-phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides with nitroalkenes in ethanol resulted in a mixture of two isomeric tetrahydrobenzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles with cis/trans/cis- and all-trans-configurations. More importantly, the corresponding dihydrobenzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles can be selectively prepared in refluxing ethanol and the benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles can be obtained in satisfactory yields by sequential dehydrogenation with DDQ as oxidizer. On the other hand, the similar cycloaddition reaction of N-phenacylbenzothiazolium bromides with 1-methy-1-nitroalkenes in refluxing ethanol afforded benzo[d]pyrrolo[2,1-b]thiazoles with splitting out of nitro group. The stereochemistry of the spiro compounds was clearly elucidated on the basis of NMR spectra and sixteen single crystal structures.

A HOTf catalyzed three-component reaction of indoles, acetophenones, and ( E)-3-phenacylideneoxindolinones resulted in the unexpected polysubstituted 3-(9 H-carbazol-2-yl)indolin-2-ones in good yields. A similar reaction with various cyclic ketones afforded the corresponding carbocyclic fused 3-(9 H-carbazol-2-yl)indolin-2-ones. On the other hand, ( E)-3-arylideneoxindolinones in the three-component reaction gave the expected spiro[tetrahydrocarbazole-3,3'-oxindoles] through a domino alkenylation/Diels-Alder reaction. The unusual different reactivity of ( E)-3-phenacylideneoxindolinones and ( E)-3-arylideneoxindolinones in the three-component reactions was believed to involve the different reaction paths caused by the existence of the carbonyl group.

An efficient synthetic protocol for functionalized 2-oxaspiro [bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2,3'-indolines] was successfully developed by one-pot two-step reaction of phenacyl bromides, malononitrile and 3-methyleneoxindolines in ethanol in the presence of triethylamine. On the other hand, the similar threecomponent reaction of phenacyl bromides, ethyl cyanoacetate and 3-methyleneoxindolines afforded functionalized spiro[cyclopentane-1,3'-indoline] derivatives.