Reactivity of spiroanthraceneoxazolidines with cyclopropanes: An approach to the oxindole alkaloid scaffold

The reaction of N-methylspiro[anthracene-oxazolidine] with spiro[cyclopropane-3,3′-indolin]-2-ones in the presence of MgI₂ formed the corresponding spiro[pyrrolidine-3,3′-indolin]-2-ones in 42–65% yields. The use of N-benzylspiro[anthracene-oxazolidine] in this reaction led to the formation of a mixture of the corresponding N-methyl- and N-benzylpyrrolidines.