Recent advances in pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine chemistry: synthesis techniques and biological activity

In recent years, attention has been drawn to pyrazolo[3,4-b] pyridine and its derivatives due to their substantial pharmacological activities such as antidepressant, anticancer, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, anticoagulant, anti-Alzheimer, and antimicrobial. Besides their medicinal uses, they act as herbicides, fungicides, and are also used as agrochemicals, inhibitors for a wide range of kinases, and fibroblast growth factor receptors. Additionally, pyrazolo[3,4-b] pyridines are used in developing organic materials for different applications such as chemosensors and corrosion inhibitors for mild steel. This review aims to provide an in-depth overview of the latest advancements regarding synthetic routes, reactions, and biological importance of pyrazolo [3,4-b] pyridine during 2019-2025 which will be a useful resource for interested researchers engaged in this area. The synthetic methodologies focus on metal-catalyst, nanocatalyst, microwave-assisted synthesis, multicomponent reactions, and other green chemistry approaches. Emphasizing the significance of these scaffolds in drug discovery and medicinal chemistry, new developments and future directions in the design of innovative pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-based therapies are also covered.