Applications of the Ritter reaction in the synthesis of biologically active compounds: A review

Nitrogen-containing compounds play a fundamental role in biological systems. Proteins, the essential macromolecules responsible for virtually all cellular functions, are composed of amino acids linked through amide (peptide) bonds, highlighting the critical importance of nitrogen-containing functionalities in life processes. Ritter reaction methodologies have provided access to novel amide-containing scaffolds, which are valuable in medicinal chemistry and the creation of drug libraries. Ritter reactions are widely used in the synthesis of highly functionalized heterocycles, fused heterocycles and linear amides. These classes of compounds exhibit notable biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, antiproliferative, and anticancer activities. This review aims to compile recent advancements and applications of the Ritter reaction and mainly focuses on synthetic strategies for the synthesis of different classes of bioactive compounds. The evaluation of potential therapeutic applications of the most promising molecules synthesized using Ritter reaction is also covered in the present review.