Advances in the Synthesis of 3-Acyl-2-Pyridones: Strategies and Methods for Accessing the Versatile Scaffold

The syntheses and bioevaluation of 3-acyl-2-pyridones have garnered significant interest in recent years as a novel class of compounds with diverse biological activities. The bioactivities cover a wide range of therapeutic areas including antimicrobial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibiotic, neuritogenic, cytotoxic, and antiviral activities. Therefore, 3-acyl-2-pyridone scaffold offers a versatile platform for the development of new molecules with potential applications in medicinal chemistry. The recent exploration on synthesis and bioevaluation of 3-acyl-2-pyridones has yielded promising results, making them attractive targets for further optimization and development of new therapeutic agents. This review summarizes the available information on total synthesis of 3-acyl-2-pyridone containing natural products, and the other synthetic strategies developed for accessing the 3-acyl pyridones such as multicomponent synthesis, condensation reaction, microwave-assisted synthesis, catalytic hydrogenation reactions, metalation reaction, Michael addition, and formylation reactions. The presented information may serve as a valuable resource for researchers working in the field of medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, stimulating further exploration and development of this intriguing scaffold.