Catalytic asymmetric synthesis of 3-monosubstituted oxindoles

Chiral 3-monosubstituted oxindoles are privileged structural motifs in a variety of natural products and synthetic pharmaceuticals. However, catalytic asymmetric synthesis of these structural motifs has remained a challenge mainly because of the ease of racemization of the tertiary stereocenter through enolization. In this short review, asymmetric synthetic methods for chiral 3-monosubstituted oxindoles are summarized from the perspective of four different strategies, including Michael addition, carbenoid-mediated C‒H insertion, decarboxylative protonation, and indole oxidation.