Highlights of the chemistry and pharmacological potential of 8-hydroxyquinoline: a review

Abstract Fundamental heterocyclic molecules, quinolone and its analogs, especially 8-hydroxyquinoline, play a significant role in chemical synthesis. It has become clear that 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives are incredibly adaptable molecules with a wide range of uses in industrial and medical chemistry. Quinoline has undergone significant modification since it was first synthesized in the 1980s, yielding derivatives with notable biological activities, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic characteristics. The major discussions of this review are the synthetic techniques and modifications in the structure of 8-hydroxyquinoline and its nitro, amino, and halogenated derivatives. This review also includes information on forming various 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives and their biological activities. This review discusses traditional and modern synthetic pathways, emphasizing the quinoline core and changes to functional groups that affect yield and reactivity. Chemists looking forward to investigating the various reactivity patterns of quinoline-based compounds and enhancing synthetic procedures will observe significant value in the insights provided in this review.