NOVELTY - Preparing substituted oxindoles (I) comprises: (a) hydrogenating substituted nitrobenzene compound in a solvent using Raney nickel as a catalyst; (b) filtering the reaction mass of step (a); (c) contacting the filtrate collected from the step (b) with acid and heating the reaction mixture to obtain (I); and (d) isolating (I) from the reaction mass of step (c).    USE - The process is useful for preparing (I) which are useful for preparing ziprasidone and ziprasidone hydrochloride (all claimed), where the ziprasidone is useful for treating schizophrenia. No biological data given.    ADVANTAGE - The process: reuses the catalyst and recycles the recovered solvent; avoids the formation of sludge containing metals; does not require evacuation of carbon dioxide; provides less sulfated ash and thus enhances HPLC assay of 6-chloro-2-oxindole; avoids dechlorination and thus eliminates the formation of deschloro impurity; and provides higher yields of highly pure substituted oxindoles in a simple, fast, economical, and environmental friendly manner.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Preparing substituted oxindoles of formula (I) comprises: (a) hydrogenating substituted nitrobenzene compound of formula (III) in a solvent using Raney nickel as a catalyst; (b) filtering the reaction mass of step (a); (c) contacting the filtrate collected from the step (b) with acid and heating the reaction mixture to obtain (I); and (d) isolating (I) from the reaction mass of step (c).    R = aryl (optionally substituted), H, optionally branched or cyclic alkyl, heteroaryl, haloalkyl e.g. CF3, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, thioalkyl or halo, preferably Cl; and    R1 = optionally branched 1-4C alkyl.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) synthesizing ziprasidone comprising: hydrogenating (III) in a solvent using Raney nickel; filtering the reaction mass; contacting the filtrate with acid and heating the reaction mixture to obtain 6-chloro-2-oxindole; employing 6-chloro-2-oxindole to synthesize ziprasidone; and    (2) synthesizing ziprasidone hydrochloride comprising: hydrogenating (III) in a solvent using Raney nickel; filtering the reaction mass; contacting the filtrate with acid and heating the reaction mixture to obtain 6-chloro-2-oxindole; employing 6-chloro-2-oxindole to synthesize ziprasidone; and contacting the ziprasidone with hydrochloric acid to obtain hydrochloride salt of ziprasidone.