PLANT BIOREGULATORS, 3 : SYNTHETIC DISPROOF OF THE STRUCTURE PROPOSED FOR ALECTROL, THE GERMINATION STIMULANT FROM VIGNA UNGUICULATA

Several compounds [(+/-)-3a, (+/-)-3b, (+/-)-10, (+/-)-11, and (+/-)-12] with structures related to that proposed for alectrol (3), the germination stimulant for seeds of parasitic weeds, have been synthesized. Structure (+/-)-3a has been solved by X-ray-crystallographic analysis. Comparison of the H-1-NMR data of the synthetic compounds with those reported for alectrol showed the proposed structure 3 to be incorrect. The synthetic products (+/-)-3a and (+/-)-3b showed significant germination stimulating activity on clover broomrape (Orobanche minor) seeds.