Synthesis, Properties, and Biological Applications of Benzothiophene

Abstract

Benzothiophene is a heterocyclic aromatic compound containing sulfur as a heteroatom in the five-membered ring, which is fused with benzene. Medicinal chemistry has shown a great deal of interest in benzothiophene, as it showed various pharmacological properties and structural versatility. The synthesis of benzothiophene derivatives involves multiple strategies, with researchers using a variety of synthetic methodologies. Benzothiophene compounds exhibit a broad range of biological activities, making them attractive candidates for drug development. In terms of their biological and physiological properties, viz. antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, anti-arrhythmic, anti-psychotic, kinase-inhibiting, and anticancer properties, they are remarkably effective compounds. The benzothiophene scaffold has been found in medicinal drugs, such as zileuton, benzothiophenylcyclohexylpiperidine (BTCP), raloxifene, and sertaconazole. In addition, it is used to produce hues, such as thioindigo. Considering the above-mentioned facts, this chapter explores the synthesis and the potential applications of benzothiophenes in drug development and their impact on various aspects of medicinal chemistry, such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-tubercular, anti-HIV, anti-Parkinson, anti-convulsing, and anti-diabetic activities.