A novel one-pot reaction for the synthesis of 3-(diarylmethylene)oxindoles is described.
The reaction involves the successive combination of three palladium-catalyzed reactions
(Sonogashira, Heck, and Suzuki–Miyaura reactions). This method enables the rapid synthesis
of various 3-(diarylmethylene)oxindoles from simple propiolamides. The addition of
silver salts dramatically enhanced the E/Z stereoselectivity of the reaction.
Key words
palladium - stereoselectivity - Heck reaction - Sonogashira reaction - oxindole