SuFEx Reaction-Driven Synthesis of New Cyclic Sulfonamide Derivatives With Insecticidal and Fungicidal Bioactivities

Area of Science:

• Agrochemical science
• Organic chemistry
• Mycology

Background:

• Developing novel pesticides and fungicides is crucial for sustainable agriculture.
• Cyclic sulfonamides represent a promising class of compounds for agrochemical applications.
• Sulfur(VI) fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reactions offer an efficient synthetic route.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate cyclic sulfonamides as potential pesticide and fungicide candidates.
• To identify specific compounds with high efficacy against key agricultural pests and pathogens.
• To explore the potential of these compounds as novel agrochemical lead structures.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of cyclic sulfonamides via SuFEx reactions.
• Bioassay screening for insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella.
• Antifungal evaluation against plant pathogenic fungi using the mycelial growth rate method.
• Determination of LC50 and EC50 values for active compounds.

Main Results:

• Thirty cyclic sulfonamides were synthesized.
• Compound G30 exhibited significant insecticidal activity against Plutella xylostella (LC50 = 39.86 mg/L).
• Six compounds (G11, G16, G17, G19, G23, G25) showed strong antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani (EC50 = 5.99–17.54 mg/L).
• Compound G11 demonstrated high preventive (79.20%) and curative (90.73%) efficacy against R. solani on rice.

Conclusions:

• Cyclic sulfonamides synthesized via SuFEx reactions possess dual pesticidal and antifungal properties.
• Compound G11 is a promising lead for developing new fungicides, particularly against Rhizoctonia solani.
• This study opens new avenues for agrochemical discovery using cyclic sulfonamides.