Cinnamic acid-butenedioic lactone derivatives as crop protection agents: synthesis, bioactivity, and molecular docking studies.

BACKGROUND

The rapid spread of pesticide resistance in agricultural pests and plant pathogens necessitates the development of novel lead compounds with multi-target biological activity. To address this challenge, a series of cinnamic acid-butenedioic lactone derivatives were designed and synthesised based on an active-subsystem assembly strategy.

RESULTS

All compounds were structurally characterised by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and their insecticidal and antifungal activities were systematically evaluated. Several derivatives exhibited strong aphicidal activity against Aphis craccivora, while multiple compounds showed notable inhibitory effects against Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Among them, compound III18 (2-CH3) displayed dual biological activity, achieving an aphicidal rate of 90.69 ± 8.07% at 200 mg/L and an half-maximal effective concentration of 1.202 mg/L against Botrytis cinerea. Molecular docking analysis indicated that III18 could form stable interactions with fungal polygalacturonase and insect carboxylesterase, suggesting potential mechanisms underlying its bioactivity.

CONCLUSION

Cinnamic acid-butenedioic lactone derivatives constitute a promising class of dual-function crop protection agents. The strong biological activities and predicted target interactions of III18 provide valuable insights for the development of environmentally friendly, multi-target insecticides and fungicides. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.