Multicomponent reactions for protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are pivotal regulators of cellular signaling and potential therapeutic targets for cancer, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune diseases. However, the development of PTP inhibitors remains challenging due to the highly conserved catalytic pocket, the poor membrane permeability of phosphotyrosine mimetics, and difficulties in achieving subtype selectivity. Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) offer a powerful solution by enabling the rapid and modular synthesis of structurally diverse, medicinally relevant scaffolds in a one-pot manner. Through the flexible combination of building blocks, MCRs facilitate efficient optimization of polarity, topology, conformational rigidity, and secondary-pocket engagement, thereby accelerating the discovery of selective and drug-like PTP inhibitors. This review provides the first systematic overview of MCR-enabled PTP inhibitor discovery. The discussion is organized according to major MCR strategies and PTP target classes, highlighting how MCR chemistry has been applied to rapidly construct focused libraries, identify novel scaffolds, and optimize potency and selectivity. Key design concepts-including phosphotyrosine mimicry, fragment extension, conformational constraint, and stereochemical control-are critically summarized. Current limitations and emerging opportunities, such as AI-assisted design, virtual screening, and dynamic combinatorial chemistry, are also discussed. By positioning MCRs as design-enabling technologies, this review outlines a practical framework for the development of next-generation PTP inhibitors.