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Current status of chirality in agrochemicals
Author(s) -
Jeschke Peter
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
pest management science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.296
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1526-4998
pISSN - 1526-498X
DOI - 10.1002/ps.5052
Subject(s) - agrochemical , chirality (physics) , pesticide , diastereomer , enantiomer , agriculture , chemical industry , enantioselective synthesis , chemistry , nanotechnology , business , biochemical engineering , microbiology and biotechnology , organic chemistry , catalysis , biology , engineering , materials science , agronomy , physics , ecology , chiral symmetry breaking , quantum mechanics , nambu–jona lasinio model , quark
The agrochemical industry is searching continuously for new pesticides to develop products that have optimal efficacy, lower application rates in the field, increased selectivity, favourable toxicological and environmental safety, enhanced user friendliness and better economic viability. One strategy by which to achieve these ambitious goals makes use of the unique properties of molecules containing asymmetric centres. In the past, many natural products and their congeners have been a source of inspiration in the design of new active ingredients, and the molecular structures of the resulting compounds have become increasingly complex; some 30% contain fragments with asymmetric centres. However, despite enormous progress in catalytic asymmetric processes over the past decade, few agrochemicals are produced in an enantiomerically pure or enriched form on an industrial scale. Since 2007, ∼ 43% of the 44 products launched (insecticides, acaricides, fungicides, nematicides and herbicides) contain one or more asymmetric centres in the molecule (∼ 47%) and most have been launched as racemic mixtures of enantiomers or diastereomers. This review provides an overview of the current status of chiral agrochemicals launched over the past 10 years and describes the inherently connected challenges of modern agricultural chemistry by managing important aspects resulting from the stereochemistry of these innovative products. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry