2-pyridones represents ubiquitous scaffolds often present in both natural products and pharmaceutical compounds. Due to their wide applications in medicinal chemistry, it is not surprising that the synthesis of 2-pyridone derivatives has attracted organic chemists for many years. This mini review focuses on the recent development in the multi-component synthesis of 2-pyridones for the period 2011 to 2021, particularly those that involve the three/four component reactions of activated methylene, aldehyde or ketone withdifferent intermediate materials under different conditions.
Keywords: Organic chemistry, heterocyclic compounds, 2-pyridone, one-pot synthesis, three/four component reaction, green synthesis.