arylheterocycle

An arylheterocycle is a chemical compound that contains both an aryl group and a heterocyclic ring within the same molecule. The aryl fragment is typically a benzene or substituted benzene ring, while the heterocycle is a ring containing at least one non-carbon atom such as nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur. The aryl group can be attached as a substituent to the heterocycle, or the aryl ring can be fused to the heterocycle to form a benzo-heterocycle.

Common facets include aryl-substituted heterocycles such as 2-arylpyridines, 1-arylindoles, and 3-arylpyrazoles, as well as fused systems such as indoles, benzofurans, benzothiazoles, and carbazoles, where a benzene ring is fused to a heterocycle. These motifs appear across many chemical classes and are widely represented in both natural products and synthetic libraries.

These compounds are prominent in medicinal chemistry due to their planarity and conjugation, which influence binding to biological targets and pharmacokinetic properties. They also serve as dyes and materials in organic electronics, reflecting their favorable electronic characteristics and structural versatility.

Synthesis of arylheterocycles can proceed through several routes. Methods such as Suzuki or Buchwald-Hartwig amination can attach an aryl group to a heteroarene, while ring-closure or annulation strategies form fused aryl-heterocycles. Direct C–H arylation is another approach to install aryl units onto heterocycles, enabling streamlined construction of diverse arylheterocyclic architectures.