A general and efficient method to access tetracyclic spirooxindole derivatives.

International audienceAn efficient, simple, and convenient synthetic procedure for the synthesis of tetracyclic spirooxindole derivatives, starting from N-protected isatins and 2-fluoropyridine, was successfully developed. It enables the facile formation of a new class of spirooxindoles in which the oxindole core is fused with various heterocycles at the C-3 position