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Abstract An efficient and convergent (4+1)‐cycloaddition strategy toward the construction of spirooxindole benzofurans that involves the intermediacy of an isatin‐derived oxyphosphonium enolate is presented. Mechanistic investigations employing in situ NMR analysis of the reaction mixture revealed a correlation between phosphonium enolate structure and product distribution that was heavily influenced by the solvent and reaction temperature. 

Abstract Deregulation of dual‐specificity tyrosine phosphorylation‐regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) plays a significant role in developmental brain defects, early‐onset neurodegeneration, neuronal cell loss, dementia, and several types of cancer. Herein, we report the discovery of three new classes ofN‐heterocyclic DYRK1A inhibitors based on the potent, yet toxic kinase inhibitors, harmine and harmol. An initial in vitro evaluation of the small molecule library assembled revealed that the core heterocyclic motifs benzofuranones, oxindoles, and pyrrolones, showed statistically significant DYRK1A inhibition. Further, the utilization of a low cost, high‐throughput functional genomic in vivo model system to identify small molecule inhibitors that normalizeDYRK1Aoverexpression phenotypes is described. This in vivo assay substantiated the in vitro results, and the resulting correspondence validates generated classes as architectural motifs that serve as potential DYRK1A inhibitors. Further expansion and analysis of these core compound structures will allow discovery of safe, more effective chemical inhibitors of DYRK1A to ameliorate phenotypes caused by DYRK1A overexpression.