Open Access
CC BY 4.0 · SynOpen 2025; 09(04): 247-257
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1775502
paper
Special Issue dedicated to the International Symposium on Synthesis and Catalysis

Synthesis and Biological Profile of Substituted Azetidinyl Carbox­amides, A Novel Class of Herbicidal Acyl-ACP Thioesterase Inhibitors

Authors

  • Guido Bojack

    a   Research & Development, Profile Driven Chemistry, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, G836, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • David M. Barber

    a   Research & Development, Profile Driven Chemistry, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, G836, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Luke R. Churchman

    a   Research & Development, Profile Driven Chemistry, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, G836, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Christine Dörnbrack

    a   Research & Development, Profile Driven Chemistry, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, G836, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Stephanie Lee

    a   Research & Development, Profile Driven Chemistry, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, G836, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • China M. Payne

    a   Research & Development, Profile Driven Chemistry, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, G836, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Luka Posa

    a   Research & Development, Profile Driven Chemistry, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, G836, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Anna M. Reingruber

    b   Research & Development, Plant Physiology, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, H872, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Dirk Schmutzler

    b   Research & Development, Plant Physiology, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, H872, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
  • Jens Frackenpohl

    a   Research & Development, Profile Driven Chemistry, Division Crop Science, Bayer AG, G836, Industriepark Höchst, 65926 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

L.R.C., C.M.P., L.P., and S.L. would like to thank the Herbicide Innovation Partnership (HIP) between the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Bayer AG for Postdoctoral Research Fellowships.


Graphical Abstract

Dedicated to Klemens Minn on the occasion of his 70th birthday

Abstract

Utilizing scaffold hopping and bioisosteric replacement strategies, we explored new azetidinyl carboxamide inhibitors of the plant-specific enzyme acyl-ACP thioesterase (FAT). Amongst the investigated compounds we identified new structural motifs that showed promising target affinity coupled with good in vivo efficacy against commercially important weed species. We further studied the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the novel azetidinyl pyrazole carboxamide scaffold which showed promise as a new type of FAT inhibiting herbicides. Accordingly, a focused synthetic approach towards azetidinyl carboxamides was explored.

Supporting Information



Publication History

Received: 08 September 2025

Accepted after revision: 13 October 2025

Article published online:
10 November 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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