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An efficient organocatalytic Michael-aldol cascade reaction for the asymmetric synthesis of spirocyclic oxindole derivatives fused with tetrahydrothiophenes has been developed through a formal [3+2] annulation strategy.

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An atom-economic organocatalytic asymmetric Michael reaction of alpha,beta,beta-trisubstituted olefins has been successfully developed. The reaction exhibits excellent enantioselectivities under low loading of catalysts, and the conjugate addition products are valuable for the synthesis of novel beta(2,2)-amino acids and beta-peptides.

A [3 + 2] cycloaddition/ring contraction sequence of ylideneoxindoles with in situ-generated 2,2,2-trifluorodiazoethane without the use of any transition-metal catalyst has been developed. The reaction provides efficient access to biologically important and synthetically useful CF3-containing 3,3'-cyclopropyl spirooxindoles in high yield (74-99%) with high diastereoselectivity (>95:5 d.r.).