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The amount of research activity concerning alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactones and alpha-alkylidene-gamma-butyrolactones has increased dramatically in recent years. This Review summarizes the structural types, biological activities, and biosynthesis of these compounds, concentrating on publications from the past 10 years. Traditional approaches to alpha-methylene-gamma-butyrolactones and alpha-alkylidene-gamma-butyrolactones are then reviewed together with novel approaches, including those from our own research group, reported more recently.

Shaken and stirred: The emergence of single chirality in the solid state during grinding of a slurry has been kinetically studied for a phenylglycine amide (see scheme). The insight obtained into the underlying process of attrition‐enhanced Ostwald ripening enables the definition of suitable conditions to increase the deracemization rate drastically.

The structures and biological activities of naturally occurring 3‐alkenyl‐oxindoles are reviewed. Important man‐made3‐alkenyl‐oxindoles are covered, particularly those with pharmaceutical applications such as sunitinib (SU11248), the orally active receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor marketed by Pfizer as Sutent®. Traditional synthetic approaches to 3‐alkenyl‐oxindoles are summarised and then recently developed tandem/telescoped synthetic routes are described.