2-cyanobenzothiazole: A journey from darkness to stardom

Abstract

Benzothiazole structures are widely present in many drugs and natural product molecules. A renewal of interest in 2cyanobenzothiazole derivatives is mainly prompted by their noteworthy utility for bioimaging. Their reactivity stems from the presence of an electrophilic site, making them highly versatile and enabling a diversity of transformations. The increasing prominence of biorthogonal chemistry has further elevated the importance of 2-cyanobenzothiazole, establishing it as a key building block in organic synthesis. In the present review, we highlight the huge interest in the synthesis of 2cyanobenzothiazole as a stepping stone in the development of the biomedical research. A general overview of common methods as well as research progress in the synthetic approaches will be discussed.