Keywords: Crop Protection compounds, natural and synthetic biologically active small molecules, fungicides, mitochondrial respiration, fluorinated heterocycles, organometallic chemistry.
Firstly, the challenge of food supply will be swiftly presented, and the importance of crop protection compounds will be highlighted. The diverse ways to protect crops will be shown with a focus on natural and synthetic small molecules. Biocontrol paradigm will be introduced.
Small molecules active ingredient Research methodologies will be introduced with analogies to the Pharmaceutical Industry.
The emphasis will be put on the (eco) toxicological hurdles to overcome to be able to register such compounds.
Main phytopathogenic fungi will be shortly described.
The rationale to search for new fungicides active on the mitochondrial respiration at the complex II level will be given.
The general Structure Activity Relationship will be highlighted linked to the interaction of the compounds with their biochemical targets.
The story of the discovery of biologically active isoflucypram will be told and the chemical challenges we have faced will be detailed.
Isoflucypram
Finally, key messages will be given as take-home messages with an opening to future technologies that could be used and the role of scientists in tomorrow crop protection.