Benzotriazole scaffold: An overview of antiproliferative potential, mechanisms of action, and structure–activity relationships

Abstract

Being an isostere of the purine nucleus, which is found in naturally occurring nucleotides like ATP and other naturally available substances, benzotriazole is not surprising for its broad-spectrum biological activity. Benzotriazole is widely used by medicinal chemists as a privileged scaffold for the identification and development of novel bioactive compounds and drug candidates. Additionally, benzotriazole is a structural motif of seven pharmaceuticals; some of these compounds are approved, commercially available medications, while others are experimental drugs still under investigation. This review highlights the defining role of benzotriazole derivatives in the search for potential anticancer agents published in the literature from 2008 to 2022; it also discusses their mechanisms of action and structure–activity relationship investigations.