Synthesis of Novel α-Trifluorothioanisole Derivatives Containing Phenylpyridine Moieties with Herbicidal Activity

Zengfei Cai; Wenliang Zhang; Zhongjie Yan; Xiaohua Du

doi:10.3390/molecules27185879

Synthesis of Novel α-Trifluorothioanisole Derivatives Containing Phenylpyridine Moieties with Herbicidal Activity

Molecules. 2022 Sep 10;27(18):5879. doi: 10.3390/molecules27185879.

Authors

Zengfei Cai¹, Wenliang Zhang¹, Zhongjie Yan², Xiaohua Du¹

Affiliations

¹ Catalytic Hydrogenation Research Center, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Green Pesticides and Cleaner Production Technology, Zhejiang Green Pesticide Collaborative Innovation Center, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
² Agrowin (Ningbo) Bioscience Co., Ltd., Ningbo 315100, China.

Abstract

To discover novel herbicidal compounds with favorable activity, a range of phenylpyridine-moiety-containing α-trifluorothioanisole derivatives were designed, synthesized, and identified via NMR and HRMS. Preliminary screening of greenhouse-based herbicidal activity revealed that compound 5a exhibited >85% inhibitory activity against broadleaf weeds Amaranthus retroflexus, Abutilon theophrasti, and Eclipta prostrate at 37.5 g a.i./hm2, which was slightly superior to that of fomesafen. The current study suggests that compound 5a could be further optimized as an herbicide candidate to control various broadleaf weeds.

Keywords: herbicidal activity; phenylpyridine; synthesis; α-trifluorothioanisole derivatives.

MeSH terms

Amaranthus*
Herbicides* / chemistry
Plant Weeds
Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

Herbicides