The review covers the chemistry of organoboron heterocycles structurally related to benzoxaboroles where one of the carbon atoms in a boracycle or a fused benzene ring is replaced by a heteroelement such as boron, silicon, tin, nitrogen, phosphorus, or iodine. Related ring expanded systems including those based on naphthalene and biphenyl cores are also described. The information on synthetic methodology as well as the basic structural and physicochemical characteristics of these emerging heterocycles is complemented by a presentation of their potential applications in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry, the latter aspect being mostly focused on the promising antimicrobial activity of selected compounds.
Keywords: Lewis acidity; antimicrobial activity; benzoxaborole; boron; heterocycles.