Furo[3,2-b]pyridine: Chemical synthesis, transformations and biological applications

Abstract

The combination of heterocycles renders a new possibility to synthesize multicyclic compounds having improved biological activities. Furo[3,2-b]pyridine is a fused heterocyclic ring system comprising a furan ring attached at the third and second positions of pyridine. These heterocyclic compounds can be easily synthesized from versatile starting materials including pyridine, furan, benzofuran, and benzopyridine via cycloaddition, cycloisomerization, multicomponent, cross-coupling, and Dakin-type reactions by utilizing microwave, copper, and palladium based catalysts. Among the chemical transformations of furo[3,2-b]pyridine derivatives, the review covered acetylation, addition, condensation, chlorination, Suzuki coupling, Vilsmeier-Haack reaction, and nucleophilic substitution reactions. Furo[3,2-b]pyridine has attracted remarkable attention from researchers due to its wide range of pharmacological and biological applications as antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, anticancer, inhibitors of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, CLKs, e1F4A, DYRKIA, α-glucosidase and β-glucosidase. The purpose of the review is to discuss the chemistry of the title reported during 2019–2024.