Antifungal activity of 4'-(2,6,6-Trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3'-butene-2'-ketoxime N-O-alkyl ethers.

A number of 4'-(2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3'-butene-2'-ketoxime N-O-alkyl ethers were prepared, separated into their E and Z isomers, and characterized on the basis of (1)H NMR and mass spectroscopy. These compounds were tested in vitro for antifungal activity against four important phytopathogenic fungi, namely, Sclerotium rolfsii , Rhizoctonia bataticola , Macrophomina phaseolina , and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum . E isomers of 4'-(2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3'-butene-2'-ketoxime N-O-propyl ether (ED(50) = 32.36 microg mL(-1)) and 4'-(2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3'-butene-2'-ketoxime N-O-(1''-methyl) ethyl ether (ED(50) = 35.50 microg mL(-1)) showed maximum antifungal activity against R. bataticola and S. rolfsii, respectively, whereas 4'-(2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3'-butene-2'(Z)-ketoxime N-O-pentyl ether was found to be active against M. phaseolina (ED(50) = 31.08 microg mL(-1)) and S. sclerotiorum (ED(50) 21.39 microg mL(-1)), respectively. The Z isomer of 4'-(2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3'-butene-2'-ketoxime N-O-pentyl ether, which was found to be most effective, was tested against S. sclerotiorum in a greenhouse at 1 and 5% concentrations. The 5% aqueous emulsion of 4'-(2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3'-butene-2'(Z)-ketoxime N-O-pentyl ether suppressed disease development in pea by 90-95% as compared with the untreated infested soil in the greenhouse after 21 days of treatment.