Herbicidal activity of isobenzofuranones and in silico identification of their enzyme target.

The results presented by 15a, and 15b were superior to the activity of the commercial herbicide (S)-metolachlor in the assays with C. sativus, and A. cepa. The in silico study provides strong evidence that the most active compounds bind to strigolactones esterases D14 through the same binding site of (5R)-5-hydroxy-3-methylfuran-2(5H)-one (H3M), which is one of the strigolactones (SLs) cleavage products. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.