Synthesis of a Phthaloylglycine-Derived Strigol Analogue and Its Germination Stimulatory Activity toward Seeds of the Parasitic Weeds <i>Striga </i><i>hermonthica</i> and <i>Orobanche crenata</i>

Abstract

The newly designed strigol analogue Nijmegen 1 (rac 7) was prepared in high overall yield starting from N-phthaloylglycine. This relatively simple analogue exhibits high bioactivity in the stimulation of germination of seeds of the parasitic weeds Striga hermonthica and Orobanche crenata. Nijmegen 1 was resolved in its enantiomers 7 and ent 7 by using the homochiral latent D-rings ent 11 and ent 12. The enantiomers 7 and ent 7 show significant differences in germination activity. Keywords: Striga; Orobanche; germination; strigol analogue