Copper-catalyzed enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of pyrrole with isatins.

The highly enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of pyrrole with isatins catalyzed by the tridentate Schiff base/Cu catalyst was developed. Hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) was used as a crucial additive to improve the enantioselectivity. In the case of N-unprotected isatins, an innovative substrate slow-releasing strategy was applied by virtue of a Henry/retro-Henry reaction.