Flavanones with various biological and pharmacological activities which
result from their unique structure, a chiral center at C2 and a single bond between C2-
C3, are considered as a special subgroup of flavonoids. These naturally occurring
compounds with anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory activity, as well as
building blocks and intermediates for organic synthesis have attracted organic and
medicinal chemists’ attention. Widespread and at the same time interesting application
of flavanones in different fields of chemistry and pharmacology, reveals increasing
interests in their syntheses from different synthetic methods. In addition, there are
many articles published every year about natural flavanones and their novel derivatives
from different natural sources and study of their biological activities is also proof of
their priority. As a result, herein we have studied recent progresses about flavanones
from different aspects such as their: various synthetic methods, different derivatives,
biological activities, natural sources reported in articles from 2015 to late 2020.
Keywords: Asymmetric Hydrogenation, Benzopyrone, Biological Activity, Biosynthesis, β-Arylation, Chromanone, Claisen-Schmidt condensation, Domino Reaction, Flavanone, Fused Flavanone, Green Synthesis, Hybrid Flavanone, Intramolecular Conjugation Addition, Intermolecular Oxa-Michael Addition, Mannich Reaction, Natural & Synthetic, Polyphenol.
