Synthesis and Herbicidal Activity Against Buffelgrass ( Cenchrus ciliaris ) of (±)-3-deoxyradicinin.

A novel synthetic strategy for obtainment of (+/-)-3-deoxyradicinin (2) is reported. This synthetic methodology is more efficient than those previously reported in the literature and also shows higher versatility towards the introduction of different side-chains at both C-7 and C-2. The obtained compound (+/-)-2 shows phytotoxicity against the grass-weed buffelgrass comparable to that of the natural phytotoxin radicinin (1). Therefore, (+/-)-2 can constitute a more practical synthetic alternative to 1 as bioherbicide for buffelgrass control.