Design, Synthesis, Characterization, and Molluscicidal Activity Screening of New Nicotinonitrile Derivatives against Land Snails, M. cartusiana .

A new series of nicotinonitrile derivatives 2 - 7 was designed and synthesized from the starting material ( E )-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one ( 1 ) to assess their molluscicidal activity. The newly synthesized nicotinonitrile compounds 2 - 7 were characterized based on FTIR, 1 H-NMR, and 13 C-APT NMR spectra as well as elemental microanalyses. The target compounds 2 - 7 were screened for their toxicity effect against M. cartusiana land snails and were compared to Acetamiprid as a reference compound. The results demonstrated that the nicotinonitrile-2-thiolate salts 4a and 4b had good mortality compared with that of Acetamiprid. The results of the in vivo effect of the prepared nicotinonitrile molecules 2 , 4a , and 4b on biochemical parameters, including AChE, ALT, AST, and TSP, indicated a reduction in the level of AChE and TSP as well as an increase in the concentration of transaminases (ALT and AST). A histopathological study of the digestive gland sections of the M. cartusiana land snails was carried out. The nicotinonitrile-2-thiolate salts 4a , b showed vacuolization, causing the digestive gland to lose its function. It could be concluded that the water-soluble nicotinonitrile-2-thiolate salts 4a , b could be adequate molluscicidal molecules against M. cartusiana land snails.