The reaction of arylidenoxindole and arynes formed in situ was investigated. Two arynes participated in the Diels–Alder cycloaddition and coupling reactions, thus providing quick and efficient access to structurally unusual dihydronaphtho-fused oxindoles. The present strategy also demonstrates its excellent stereoselectivity and convenient experimental set-up.

Multicomponent cycloadditions with readily available isocyanides, allenoates, and isatylidene malononitriles are disclosed. This reaction, which does not require the aid of any catalyst, allows the efficient syntheses of spirocyclic oxindoles with excellent regioselectivity. Reactions with ethyl 2,3-butadienoate and various structurally diverse α- and γ-substituted allenoates are also fully explored. Remarkably, we have shown that the usual three-component process can be further developed into an unprecedented four-component cycloaddition in the presence of water, which provides a new strategy to access highly unusual tricyclic oxindoles. From a synthetic point of view, this protocol is very interesting considering the high level of complexity reached in one step. The mechanism is thought to proceed by a triple Michael/cyclization process by using allenoate as a three carbon atom component (3 C). Furthermore, multicomponent reaction with γ-substituted allenoate also results in a very interesting conversion. In such cases, the unusual cleavage of the “CC” double bond of isatylidene malononitrile and one of the “CC” double bonds of allenoate is always observed.

The intermolecular [2+2+1] multicomponent cycloadditions from readily available allenoates, dual activated olefins and isocyanides catalyzed by silver hexafluoroantimonate were studied. This protocol allowed the syntheses of highly functionalized five-membered carbocycles with exclusive regioselectivity and stereoselectivity in an efficient and atom-economical manner.