Progress and Perspectives of Furanone Derivatives in Pesticide Chemistry.

Furanone and its derivatives, featuring five-membered oxygen-containing heterocyclic rings, offer broad-spectrum bioactivities and favorable environmental compatibility, making them valuable pharmaceutical and agrochemical agents. Although their pharmaceutical applications have been extensively reviewed, a comprehensive summary of their agrochemical uses is lacking. This review provides a concise overview of the synthetic approaches and structural modification strategies for furanones, systematically examines their structural diversity, and outlines their insecticidal, fungicidal, antiviral, herbicidal, and plant growth-regulating activities. Additionally, the mechanisms of action of representative compounds are discussed in detail. Furthermore, this review highlights the potential of artificial intelligence-based drug design, particularly for the discovery of novel, highly efficient, and ecofriendly structures. This review offers strategic perspectives for the future design and development of green, efficient furanone-based agrochemicals.