Recent progress toward developing axial chirality bioactive compounds

Atropisomers are stereoisomers with axial chirality arising from restricted rotation around a single bond. Lots of representatives of this class of axially chiral compounds exhibit remarkable biological properties for protein targets. This time-dependent chirality shows great potential for drug development. Herein, we comprehensively review axial chirality bioactive compounds, including C–C bonded atropisomers, C–N bonded atropisomers, and N–N bonded atropisomers. Examples of each are provided along with their biological activity. This review highlights the development of various examples of atropisomerism encountered in bioactive compounds, which is beneficial for medicinal chemists to advance atropisomeric drug molecules. [Display omitted] •This review summarized axial chirality bioactive compounds, including C–C, C–N, and N–N bonded atropisomers.•Axial scaffolds are promising for drug development.•This review is beneficial for medicinal chemists to advance atropisomeric drug molecules.