Two closely related classes of oxindole-based compounds, 1 H-indole-2, 3-dione 3- phenylhydrazones and 3-(anilinomethylene)-1, 3-dihydro-2 H-indol-2-ones, were shown to potently inhibit cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2). The initial lead compound was prepared as a homologue of the 3-benzylidene-1, 3-dihydro-2 H-indol-2-one class of kinase inhibitor. Crystallographic analysis of the lead compound bound to CDK2 provided the basis for ...