Iron‐Catalyzed Oxidative 1,2‐Carboacylation of Activated Alkenes with Alcohols: A Tandem Route to 3‐(2‐Oxoethyl)indolin‐2‐ones

Oxindoles are important heterocyclic compounds that are found in a wide range of pharmaceutical agents and natural products. A new oxidative tandem route to the assembly of 3‐(2‐oxoethyl)indolin‐2‐ones from N ‐arylacrylamides and alcohols has been established by using inexpensive and environmentally benign iron catalysts and peroxides. In the presence of Fe(OAc) 2 and tert ‐butyl hydroperoxide, a variety of arylacrylamides underwent the oxidative 1,2‐carboacylation reaction with alcohols to give the corresponding 3‐(2‐oxoethyl)indolin‐2‐ones in moderate to good yields.