A highly efficient and atom-economic methodology has been developed for the synthesis
of 3-(arylethynyl)-3-hydroxyindolin-2-ones from isatins by C–H activation of arylacetylenes
using a catalytic quantity of copper(I) iodide (5 mol%) and DBU (20 mol%) at 25 °C,
affording the products in excellent yields in very short reaction time (5 min).
Key words
catalysis - C–H activation - copper(I) iodide - arylalkyne addition - 3-hydroxyindolin-2-ones