Tailoring nostoclide structure to target the chloroplastic electron transport chain

Aiming to improve their effectiveness, three modifications were introduced into the structure of the natural phytotoxins nostoclides, leading to the synthesis of novel 3-benzyl-4-isopropyl-5-(arylmethylene)furan-2(5H)-ones, 3-benzyl-5-(furan-2-ylmethylene) furan-2(5H)-ones, and 3,4-dihalo-5-arylidenefuran-2(5H)-ones. All compounds were characterized by IR, H-1 and C-13 NMR, NOEDIF, COSY, HETCOR and MS spectrometry. Increasing the length of the molecule was found to reduce the ability to interfere with ferricyanide reduction by isolated chloroplasts. The addition of an isopropyl moiety into the heterocyclic ring, as in naturally-occurring nostoclides, did not influence the inhibitory potential. Also the replacement of the electron-drawing phenyl substituent with two halogen residues did not improve the resulting activity. However, both latter modifications influenced the interaction with the photosynthetic machinery. These analogues could therefore represent novel leads to be explored toward the development of new herbicides targeting the chloroplastic electron transport chain.