Recent Developments in the Synthesis of Pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles

Pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole is one of the most important azaheterocyclic compounds consisting of three fused aromatic rings. Molecules containing this core have displayed a wide range of applications in the field of medicinal chemistry. The synthesis of pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole and its derivatives has attracted organic chemists because of its tremendous utility in interdisciplinary branches of chemistry. In this context, this review discusses the main advances in the synthesis of pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles via metal-mediated and metal-free reactions from 2000 to 2016.1 Introduction2 Synthetic Approaches to Pyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles2.1 Type I: Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Methods2.2 Type II: Metal-Free Approaches3 Conclusion