Unprecedented chemoselective Ru(iii)-catalyzed [3 + 2] annulation of enaminones with iodonium ylides for the synthesis of functionalized 3a,7a-dihydroxy hexahydro-4H-indol-4-ones

Highly functionalized 3a,7a-dihydroxy hexahydro-4 H -indol-4-ones were efficiently synthesized via a Ru( iii )-catalyzed alkenyl C(sp 2 )–H bond functionalization/[3 + 2] annulation reaction between readily available enaminones and iodonium ylides.