Palladium catalyzed divergent cycloadditions of vinylidenecyclopropane-diesters with methyleneindolinones enabled by zwitterionic π-propargyl palladium species

A palladium-catalyzed divergent synthesis of spirooxindoles fused with a five- or a six-membered ring by a cycloaddition reaction of vinylidenecyclopropane-diesters with methyleneindolinones was disclosed. This protocol features an in situ generated unprecedented zwitterionic π-propargyl palladium species in cycloaddition reactions and a switchable process between (3+2) and (4+2) cycloadditions by changing the phosphine ligand.