Recent advances in new multicomponent synthesis of structurally diversified 1,4-dihydropyridines

1,4-Dihydropyridines (DHPs) are one of the most important classes of heterocyclic compounds as privileged pharmacophores. They are therefore attractive synthetic targets of organic chemistry. Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) are the most efficient strategies for the synthesis of 1,4-DHPs in terms of providing both sufficient structural diversity and numbers for compound libraries. Following the classical multicomponent synthesis of 1,4-DHPs by the Hantzsch reaction, chemists have developed a large number of new MCRs to access 1,4-DHPs with significantly extended structural diversity, which is pivotal for the process of discovering new lead compounds and drugs of 1,4-DHPs. The advances on the synthesis of structurally diversified 1,4-DHPs through new MCRs beyond the classical Hantzsch reaction is reviewed.