Structural diversity, natural occurrence, synthesis, and bioactivities of naphthopyrones.

Naphthopyrones (NPs) are a class of heterocyclic molecules formed by the fusion of naphthalene and pyran ring. They are widely distributed in microorganisms, plants, and marine organisms, which have become a research focus in medicinal and synthetic chemistry due to their unique rigid skeleton, diverse biological activities, and controllable axial chirality. In recent years, with the innovation of synthesis technology and the in-depth analysis of the mechanism of action, the research on NPs has expanded from natural products discovery to functional oriented molecular design and application exploration. This article systematically reviews the structural diversity, pharmacological activity, and synthesis strategies of naphthopyrones compound. This is the first comprehensive review on NPs, which summarizing 226 compounds during the period of 1937 to December 2025, covering 161 articles laying the foundation for the development and utilization of NPs in the future.