The Biginelli reaction has received significant consideration in recent years due to its easily accessible aldehyde, urea/thiourea, and active methylene compounds. When it comes to pharmacological applications, the Biginelli reaction end-products, the 2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidines, are vital in pharmacological applications. Due to the ease of carrying out the Biginelli reaction, it offers a number of exciting prospects in various fields. Catalysts, however, play an essential role in Biginelli's reaction. In the absence of a catalyst, it is difficult to form products with a good yield. Many catalysts have been used in search of efficientmethodologies, including biocatalysts, Brønsted/Lewis acids, heterogeneous catalysts, organocatalysts, and so on. Nanocatalysts are currently being applied in the Biginelli reaction to improve the environmental profile as well as speed up the reaction process. This review describes the catalytic role in the Biginelli reaction and pharmacological application of 2-oxo/thioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidines. This study provides information that will facilitate the development of newer catalytic methods for the Biginelli reaction, by academics as well as industrialists. It also offers a broad scope for drug design strategies, which may enable the development of novel and highly effective bioactive molecules.
Keywords: Biginelli; dihydropyrimidines; multicomponent one-pot; nitrogen-containing heterocycles.
© 2023 Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft.