N-bridged 5,6-bicyclic pyridines: Recent applications in central nervous system disorders

The search for novel heterobicyclic compounds within the drug-like chemical space continues to be an area of interest in medicinal chemistry. Unsaturated N-bridgehead heterocycles are well represented in marketed drugs for a variety of therapeutic areas, and continue to play an important role in central nervous system (CNS) drug discovery programs. Examples of medicinal chemistry strategies that make use of N-bridged 5,6-bicyclic pyridines are discussed here in this Minireview, which covers the literature from 2010 up to 2014. B1-class imidazopyridines and B3-class pyrazolopyridines have proven to be at the forefront of molecular prototypes that are capable of interacting with disease relevant targets in neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatry. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.