Exploiting the Distal Reactivity of Indolyl Methylenemalononitriles: An Asymmetric Organocatalyzed [4+2]

[object Object]An unprecedented technique for the in situ generation of indolyl ortho-quinodimethanes from 2- methylindole-based methylenemalononitriles by aminemediated remote C(sp3)¢H deprotonation was developed. These intermediates were efficiently trapped by diverse enals to provide a rapid entry to 2,9-dihydro-1H-carbazole- 3-carboxyaldehyde structures through a formal asymmetric [4+2] eliminative cycloaddition governed by a a,adiphenylprolinol trimethylsilyl ether catalyst.