A novel, one-pot, multicomponent synthesis of 5′-amino-2,2′-dioxospiro[indoline-3,3′-pyrrole]-4′-carbonitriles is described. The Knoevenagel condensation reaction between isatin derivatives and malononitrile gave the corresponding cyclic arylmethylidenemalononitriles that, on treatment with isocyanides, afforded 2,2′-dioxospiro-bis-γ-lactams in good to excellent yields.
Key words
isatins - isocyanides - spiro compounds - lactams - multicomponent reactions