Chalcones are extensively found in natural products and are applied in medical science and other technologies. For the reactivity in organic chemistry, chalcones are used as significant building blocks and intermediates in organic synthesis. Hence, synthetic strategies of chalcone derivatives are of great importance among the scientific community. This review describes the synthesis of chalcones under transition metal catalysis or metal-free systems.

Abstract

Chalcones are widely found in natural products, pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetic industries. They have been used as key intermediates in the development of various biologically active compounds. Given their high importance, the chemistry of chalcones has always been the most demanded and focused area of research in the scientific community. A wide variety of transition metals, including palladium, gold, silver, rhodium, zinc, copper, iron, nickel, and manganese, can efficiently catalyze the synthesis of chalcones. The preparation of chalcones can also be achieved through metal-free systems using base, acid, and oxidant as promoters or under catalyst-free conditions. This review describes the synthesis of chalcone derivatives under metal catalysis or metal-free systems.