Green Method To Preparing Oxindole-Fused Spirotetrahydrofuran Scaffolds through Methanesulfonic Acid-Catalyzed Cyclization Reactions of 3‑Allyl-3-hydroxy-2-oxindole in Water

Water is an ideal solvent for chemical transformations in environmentally friendly and sustainable processes. An operationally simple, metal-free, and green approach to the synthesis of oxindole-fused spirotetrahydrofurans from 3-allyl-3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles in water is described. This method requires only cheap methanesulfonic acid as a catalyst and eliminates the need of complicated reagents. This atom- and step-economical transformation is highly efficient, which provides a new approach for the construction of oxindole-fused spirotetrahydrofuran molecules with potential pharmaceutical interest.