Hydroxypyridinones as “privileged” chelating structures for the design of medicinal drugs

Hydroxypyridinones (HPs) are a family of N-heterocyclic core chelators which, based on their specific metal-coordination, easy manipulation/derivatization and biocompatibility, have been an attractive target for the development of new pharmaceutical drugs with manifold uses. Herein we describe the most recent advances reported in the literature on HPs, with a special focus on the metal chelating properties of the 3-hydroxy-4-pyridinone (3,4-HP) derivatives, and the different approaches used to functionalize these chelators to improve their biological properties, namely in terms of bioavailability and specific bio-targeting abilities. Representative examples of HPs are included, mostly for applications as chelating drugs for sequestration or passivation of metal overload or deregulated biometals, but also as metallodrugs for potential diagnostic/therapeutic purposes. These examples are discussed in terms of the chelating properties and structure–activity relationships.