The chemistry of isatins: a review from 1975 to 1999

Isatins (1H-indole-2,3-dione) are synthetically versatile substrates, where they can be used for the synthesis of a large variety of heterocyclic comp ounds, such as indoles and quinolines, and as raw material for drug synthes is. Isatins have also been found in mammalian tissue and their function as a modulator of biochemical processes has been the subject of several discus sions. The advances in the use of isatins for organic synthesis during the last twenty-five years, as well as a survey of its biological and pharmacol ogical properties are reported in this review and in the accompanying suppl ementary information.