Recent Developments in the Synthesis of Cinnoline Derivatives

Crinnolines can serve as unique and versatile class of heterocycles especially in fields related to synthetic and pharmaceutical chemistry owing to their potent biological activities. They possess diversity of pharmaceutical activities as anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic as well as anti-hypertensive activities. Since the first synthesis of cinnoline by Richter (1883) numerous protocols for their synthesis have been developed utilizing arenediazonium salts, aryl hydrazines and arylhydhydrazones precursors. Recently metal catalyzed C-C and C-N bond formation reactions have emerged as efficient tools for synthesis of cinnoline derivatives. This review aims to focus on the recent synthetic routes used for the synthesis of cinnoline derivatives. An effort has been carried out to provide an overview of practical methods for preparing cinnolines. Furthermore the reaction mechanisms have been described in brief.