An approach toward the alkaloid (±)-mersicarpine using a rhodium(II) carbenoid cyclization–cycloaddition cascade of an α-diazo dihydroindolinone

A tandem carbonyl ylide/1,3-dipolar cycloaddition cascade of α-diazo indole-2,3-dione with several different dipolarophiles was investigated. The intermolecular Rh(II)-catalyzed reaction occurs efficiently and affords dipolar cycloadducts in high yields. The analogous intramolecular reaction also takes place and gives an azapolycyclic product derived from trapping of the carbonyl ylide dipole with a tethered alkene. The power of the intramolecular cascade sequence is that it rapidly assembles polycyclic ring systems containing both multiple stereocenters and adjacent quaternary carbon centers in a single step in high yield. This cascade reaction was successfully utilized in a model study directed toward the total synthesis of mersicarpine.