Semisynthesis and insecticidal activity of some fraxinellone derivatives modified in the B ring

A series of novel fraxinellone derivatives modified at the C-1 or C-8 position in the B ring were prepared as insecticidal agents against the pre-third-instar larvae of oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata Walker at 1 mg/mL. Five key steric configurations of compounds 2, 3, and 8f,g,j were further determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It was found that the kinds and the amount of the reduction products of fraxinellone were related to the molar ratio between the reduction agent Red-Al and the substrate fraxinellone. Among all of the derivatives, compounds 2 and 8i,j,o displayed more promising insecticidal activity than their precursors fraxinellone and toosendanin. The preliminary structure-activity relationships revealed that the lactone (B-ring) of fraxinellone contributed to the observed insecticidal activity; the double bond at the C-2 position of fraxinellone was not necessary for the insecticidal activity; conversion of the oxygen atom of carbonyl group on the lactone of fraxinellone to a sulfur one does not improve the insecticidal activity; introduction of electron-withdrawing groups on the phenyl ring of 8f, to the benzoyloxy series, could result in more potent compounds.