Aryl chain analogues of the biotin vitamers as potential herbicides. Part 3.

Novel aryl chain isosters and analogues of 7-keto-8-aminopelargonic acid (KAPA) and 7,8-diaminopelargonic acid (DAPA), the vitamer intermediates involved in the biosynthetic pathway of biotin, possessing chain lengths of eight carbon atoms, were prepared and evaluated as potential herbicides. In the greenhouse test the most active compounds were the fluorinated derivative 9d and the selenophenyl/furan mixture 17m/17p, which were most active against Foxtail millet. In the more sensitive Arabidopsis test the most active substances were 9a and 17m, which displayed GR(50) (concentration of active compound causing 50% growth inhibition) values of 0.2 and 0.5 mg kg(-1) respectively (values of < 50 mg kg(-1) are considered herbicidal).

Inhibitors of biotin biosynthesis as potential herbicides: part 2.

Isosteres and analogues of 7-keto-8-aminopelargonic acid (KAPA) and 7,8-diaminopelargonic acid (DAPA), the vitamer intermediates involved in the biosynthetic pathway of biotin, possessing chain lengths of eight carbon atoms, were prepared and evaluated as potential herbicides. The most active compounds, 7-amino-octanoic acid hydrochloride and 7-allyloxy-6-oxo-octanoic acid, displayed Arabidopsis GR50 (concentration of the active compound that causes a 50% growth inhibition) values of 5 and 10 mg kg(-1) respectively. The DAPA analog 6,7-diamino-octanoic acid dihydrochloride, when tested in the greenhouse against six weed species, displayed moderate activity against three species, being most active against foxtail millet.

A novel class of inhibitors of peptide deformylase discovered through high-throughput screening and virtual ligand screening.

Peptide deformylase (PDF) has been identified as a promising antibacterial and herbicide target. A structurally novel class of inhibitors containing a 2-thioxo-thiazolidin-4-one heterocycle substituted by an arylidene group at the 5-position and a hexanoic acid side chain at the 3-position was discovered independently via high-throughput screening and virtual ligand screening. Data mining and analogue synthesis established a structure--activity relationship for the side chain region that is consistent with the docked structure.