Insight into 2α-Chloro-2'(2',6')-(Di)Halogenopicropodophyllotoxins Reacting with Carboxylic Acids Mediated by BF3·Et2O

Semisynthesis of novel N-acyl/sulfonyl derivatives of 5(3,5)-(di)halogenocytisines/cytisine and their pesticidal activities against Mythimna separata Walker, Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval, and Sitobion avenae Fabricius

BACKGROUND

To discover novel natural product-based pesticidal agents for crop protection, a series of N-acyl/sulfonyl derivatives of 5(3,5)-(di)halogenocytisines/cytisine were prepared by structural modifications of cytisine. Their pesticidal activities were evaluated against three typically crop-threatening agricultural pests, Mythimna separata Walker, Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval, and Sitobion avenae Fabricius.

RESULTS

Compound 5f exhibited the promising pesticidal activities against three tested pests. All N-phenylsulfonylcytisine derivatives showed potent acaricidal activity. Compound 5j exhibited 2.5-fold more potent acaricidal activity than cytisine, and showed good control effects. Intermediates 2, and 3/3' displayed pronounced aphicidal activity. Some interesting results of structure-activity relationships were also obtained.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrate that compounds 5f and 5j could be further modified as pesticidal agents. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nanocapsules Containing Neem (Azadirachta Indica) Oil: Development, Characterization, And Toxicity Evaluation

In this study, we prepared, characterized, and performed toxicity analyses of poly(ε-caprolactone) nanocapsules loaded with neem oil. Three formulations were prepared by the emulsion/solvent evaporation method. The nanocapsules showed a mean size distribution around 400 nm, with polydispersity below 0.2 and were stable for 120 days. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity results showed an increase in toxicity of the oleic acid + neem formulations according to the amount of oleic acid used. The minimum inhibitory concentrations demonstrated that all the formulations containing neem oil were active. The nanocapsules containing neem oil did not affect the soil microbiota during 300 days of exposure compared to the control. Phytotoxicity studies indicated that NC_20 (200 mg of neem oil) did not affect the net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of maize plants, whereas use of NC_10 (100:100 of neem:oleic acid) and NC_15 (150:50 of neem:oleic acid) led to negative effects on these physiological parameters. Hence, the use of oleic acid as a complement in the nanocapsules was not a good strategy, since the nanocapsules that only contained neem oil showed lower toxicity. These results demonstrate that evaluation of the toxicity of nanopesticides is essential for the development of environmentally friendly formulations intended for applications in agriculture.

Seven-Membered Lactam Derivatives of Podophyllotoxins as New Pesticidal Agents

As a continuation of our efforts to discover and develop natural-product-based insecticidal agents, three novel and unusual 7-membered lactam derivatives of podophyllotoxin were prepared by thionyl chloride-mediated ring-expanded Beckmann rearrangement. The steric configurations of 3a-c were unambiguously identified by X-ray crystallography. It demonstrated that the configuration of the picropodophyllotoxin C4-oximes could also be confirmed by the corresponding C-ring expansion products via Beckmann rearrangement. Moreover, it was obviously further testified that when picropodophyllones reacted with hydroxylamine hydrochloride, only E configuration of picropodophyllotoxin C4-oximes was selectively produced. Compounds 3b and 3c showed more potent pesticidal activity than toosendanin against oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker).

New Insecticidal Agents from Halogenation/Acylation of the Furyl-Ring of Fraxinellone

Introduction of the halogen atom or the acyl group at the C-ring of fraxinellone was investigated. Some unexpected halogenation products were obtained with the different chlorination/bromination reagents, and their possible reaction mechanisms were also proposed. Seven key steric structures of 2a’, 2b, 2b’, 2c’, 3a, 3b, and one isomer (5’α-Cl) of 2a were further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Especially compounds 2a, 2a’, 3a and 3c exhibited more potent insecticidal activity than toosendanin. Some structure-activity relationships of tested compounds were also described.