Enantiotopos-selective C-H oxygenation catalyzed by a supramolecular ruthenium complex

Spirocyclic oxindoles undergo an enantioselective oxygenation reaction (nine examples; e.r. up to 97:3) upon catalysis by a chiral ruthenium porphyrin complex (1 mol %). The catalyst exhibits a lactam ring, which is responsible for substrate association through hydrogen bonds, and an active ruthenium center, which is in a defined spatial relationship to the oxygenation substrate. DFT calculations illustrate the perfect alignment of the active site with the reactive C-H bond and suggest--in line with the kinetic isotope effect--an oxygen rebound mechanism for the reaction.