DIVERSE SYNTHETIC APPROACHES TO CRAFT IMIDAZOLES - A REVIEW

Imidazoles are five membered heterocyclic ring compounds containing two nitrogen atoms as a part of a five membered ring. Imidazole is a pharmacologically important molecule mainly used as antihypertensive, antiplasmodial, antifungal and anticancer agents etc. It can be synthesized by using a variety of starting materials by different synthesis such as – Debus Radziszewski, Van Leusen, Wallach synthesis to name a few. By altering the starting materials different derivatives of imidazole can be synthesized and show a wide range of pharmacological activites. Hence organic chemists are continuously striving to synthesize novel imidazole derivatives that could show better pharmacological effects. This review article focuses on different types of synthesis available to chemists for this versatile molecule.