Phytoactive Aryl Carbamates and Ureas as Cytokinin-like Analogs of EDU

Abstract

Ureas, carbamates and oxamates are rather common structural motifs. They are present in both natural and synthetic compounds that exhibit a wide spectrum of biological activity. These derivatives of carbonic and oxalic acids are regularly employed as the basic structural elements in hybrid molecule synthesis, as well as in organic synthesis in general. A series of unsymmetrical hybrid compounds (E1–E4) has been synthesized, with core imidazolidin-2-one and aryl moieties as urea and carbamate derivatives. Plant growth regulatory activity of these compounds was studied with respect to their influence on germination, growth and development of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seeds in laboratory and field tests. Their effect on drought resistance concentrations as low as 4 × 10−7 M was established. Compounds E1 and E4 have shown higher growth-regulating activity than standard thidiazuron and CCC.