Abstract
Spirocyclic β-lactams are a family of natural and synthetic chemicals with different
biological activities, including antibacterial properties, and interact with critical
physiological targets such as T-type calcium channels and acetyl-CoA cholesterol acyltransferase.
Their unique chemical structure, combining a spiro ring system with a β-lactam group,
offers promising opportunities for the targeted discovery of medications in medicinal
chemistry. Spirocyclic β-lactams have the potential to be adaptable frameworks for
developing novel therapeutic medicines with particular three-dimensional pharmacophoric
characteristics and increased biological efficacy. Numerous methods are employed for
the synthesis of spirocyclic β-lactams, such as cyclization, functional group modifications,
asymmetric synthesis utilizing chiral catalysts and biomimetic approaches. In this
short review, two distinct approaches describing recent syntheses of spirocyclic β-lactams
(from 2021 to 2024) are discussed. The first is based on constructing the β-lactam
ring, while the other entails transforming monocyclic β-lactams into spirocyclic structures.
These methods include detailed reaction processes and descriptions of the biological
functions of the target spirocycles. The applications of spirocyclic β-lactams in
medicinal chemistry highlight their role in the synthesis of structurally diverse
compounds with significant therapeutic potential, demonstrating creative chemical
methods for building complex molecular structures.
1 Introduction
2 β-Lactam Ring Synthesis
3 Non-β-Lactam Ring Synthesis
4 Miscellaneous Examples
5 Conclusion and Outlook
Key words
spirocyclic β-lactams - cycloaddition - cyclization - Cu catalysis - ketene formation
- NHC-catalyzed annulation
