Access to dihydropyrano[3,2-b]pyrrol-5-ones skeletons by N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed [3+3] annulations.

A novel and efficient NHC-catalyzed [3+3] annulation of enals with pyrrol-4-ones was developed, thus providing the dihydropyrano[3,2-b]pyrrol-5-one core structures with broad scope and good to excellent enantioselectivities. Notably, this strategy could also expand to the synthesis of axially chiral compounds and polysubstituted indoles.