Microwave-Assisted Green Synthesis of Functionalized Quinolines as Promising Scaffolds

Over the last two decades, quinoline has emerged as a privileged N-heterocycle with a wide scope of pharmacological properties. It has become an attractive moiety for drug design owing to its fascinating structure and reactivity. Accordingly, various methods have been developed for its synthesis and derivatization. Most known conventional synthesis approaches are operationally complex, require harsh reaction conditions, and tedious workup. They are time- and energy-consuming, low-yielding, and produce a significant amount of side products. In recent years, efforts have been made to reduce reaction times and develop greener routes with higher yields. This review highlights some notable developments for microwave (MW)-assisted synthesis of quinolines. It will cover key examples of MW-assisted one-pot synthesis, multicomponent reactions (MCRs), nanocatalyzed reactions in aqueous media, and other green solvents.