An efficient, asymmetric synthesis of the cytotoxic natural product chaetominine was achieved in 14 steps. The strategy employs a copper(I)-mediated cyclization reaction as a key step to install the abc-tricyclic ring system, which was further elaborated by diastereoselective oxidation and reduction reactions. This effort also documents the first example of an oxidative rearrangement yielding to homochiral spirocyclic pyrrolidinyloxindoles.