Nematicidal activity of furanoeremophilenes against Meloidogyne incognita and Nacobbus aberrans

While searching for novel small molecules for new organic pesticide agents against plant-parasitic nematodes, we found that the hexane extract from the roots of Senecio sinuatos and its main secondary metabolite, 3?-angeloyloxy-6?-hydroxyfuranoeremophil-1(10)-ene (1), possess nematicidal activity against the second stage juvenile (J2) of Meloidogyne incognita and Nacobbus aberrans. Both species reduce yield of various vegetable crops. These results encouraged us to synthesize esters 3?9 formed by diol 2, obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of 1 and acetic anhydride, benzoic acid, 2-nitrobenzoic acid, 2-bromobenzoic acid, 4-nitrobenzoic acid, 4-bromobenzoic acid, and 4-methoxybenzoic acid, respectively. The nematicidal activity of these esters was evaluated and compared with that of the free benzoic acids.