Recent Advances in the Catalytic Synthesis of 4-Quinolones

The 4-quinolones and their analogs are a heterogeneous group of biologically active compounds that have evolved in modern days to provide utilities at the forefront of antibiotic research. They have been used to combat Gram-negative orGram-positive bacteria, suppress tumor growth, and treatmany serious infections. These antimicrobial agents have also been used to promote apoptosis and DNA repair for the treatment of cancer. This review summarizes the experimental progress made in the synthetic development of various catalytic routes to preparing 4-quinolones and their analogs; discusses our current understanding of the reaction mechanisms involving biocatalytic synthesis, general catalytic synthesis, and asymmetric synthesis; and finally presents the future prospects of the emerging field.