3-Hydroxypyridin-4-Ones (Part I): Preparation And Chelation Ability

Since the discovery of deferiprone in 1982, so far the only 3-hydroxypyridin-4-one chelator for hard metal ions that is clinically approved, these heterocyclic derivatives have become an intensively studied group of compounds. This review presents the two most common synthetic methods used for the preparation of the heterocyclic 3-hydroxypyridin-4-one structure, the Harris method and the direct procedure, as well as the most important physical and chemical parameters needed for the preliminary evaluation of their chelating abilities.