Coumarin moiety is of great interest to both chemists and biologists as it is present in a wide variety of naturally occurring bioactive compounds. Studies have lent scientific credence to the biological activities of several coumarin derivatives. The broad spectrum of biological activities linked with coumarin includes antibacterial, antimycobacterial, antioxidant, anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant and antiviral properties. The electron releasing and withdrawing substituent of coumarin affects the pharmacological properties of its resulting derivatives. Thus, identifying key structural features within the coumarin family is vital to the design and development of new analogues with enhanced pharmacological activity due to the variability in the structural complexity of coumarin. This article presents an up-to-date synopsis on the synthesis of coumarin derivatives and their pharmacological properties.
