Enantioselective Synthesis of Quaternary Carbon Stereocenters: Addition of 3‐Substituted Oxindoles to Vinyl Sulfone Catalyzed by Pentanidiums

A pentanidium‐catalyzed highly enantioselective conjugate addition of 3‐alkyloxindoles to phenyl vinyl sulfone has been demonstrated. This approach allows the construction of 3,3‐dialkyl‐substituted oxindole frameworks with high yield and excellent enantioselectivity (up to 99 %) under simple phase‐transfer conditions. A variety of oxindoles bearing all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic centers were obtained in the presence of 0.25 mol % pentanidium. Meanwhile, practicality was illustrated by a gram‐scale asymmetric synthesis of two 3,3‐dialkyl‐substituted oxindoles. The resulting adduct can be smoothly transformed to the natural product analogue in a short synthetic route.