Synthesis, reactions and biological activities of furochromones: A review

• Furochromone derivatives are important synthetic targets.
• Furochromone derivatives possess a myriad of interesting biological activities.
• Ammi visnaga (Umbelliferae) is the most famous source of these derivatives.
• Khellin and visnagin are the most famous derivatives isolated from A. visnaga.
• Khellin and visnagin exhibit vasodilating activity in angina and urinary colics.

Furochromone derivatives are important synthetic targets which showed a myriad of interesting biological activities. Ammi visnaga (Umbelliferae) is the most famous source of these derivatives, which has been used in folk medicine for millennia targeting different ailments. Since the isolation of furochromone derivatives, different synthetic methodologies were developed for their preparation. Despite the recent interesting findings on this class of compounds, the chemical literatures lack a comprehensive summary on the synthetic methodologies and biological activities of furochromone derivatives. This review highlights recent advances in furochromones chemistry by discussing different synthetic procedures developed for the preparation of naturally occurring derivatives as well as other unique derivatives which showed promising biological activities. It also sheds light on the most common reactions of furochromone derivatives and the utilization of these derivatives as the blocks for many biologically active compounds.

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