[Benzotriazole derivatives active on plant growth. I. Preparation, characterization, and correlation between physicochemical properties and structure].

Following preliminary observations of auxin-like activity for several benzotriazole derivatives, a large number of new derivatives bearing on position 1 or 2 different kinds of omega-substituted chains were prepared and tested for activity on plant growth. Some physico-chemical properties which are potentially correlated with biological activity were determined for all the new benzotriazole derivatives and for those already studied in this field as growth promoting substances. Partition coefficients (between n-octanol and buffer with pH 5.6) and RM values of 2-substituted isomers were correlated, through regressional analysis, with the corresponding properties of 1-substituted isomers. Finally, the chromatographic characterictics of the sixty substances so far considered were correlated, again through regressional analysis, with the corresponding partition coefficients and with structural features and specific functional groups by which the eventual interactions with the substratum are regulated.