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Identification of new limonoids from Swietenia and their biological activity against insects
Robert Fowles1, Baldwin Mootoo, Russel Ramsewak
1Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. robert.fowles@ualberta.ca
Background:
Natural limonoids are one group of compounds being studied for their insecticidal properties. To discover new limonoids with better activities, analogs were prepared via acylation and hydrolysis, and bioassayed.
Results:
Analogs were identified using one- and two-dimensional (COSY, HMQC and HMBC) (1) H and (13) C NMR, IR and MS. 3-O-Isovalerylswietenolide (13) and 3-O-isobutyrylswietenolide (14) showed excellent antifeedant activity, with DC(50) values of 0.19 and 0.009 mg L(-1) respectively, compared with the natural limonoid swietenolide (80.6 mg L(-1) ) against fourth-instar Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) larvae.
Conclusion:
This work shows that limonoid analogs prepared through semi-synthesis can be used as lead compounds for the development of new insecticides.
