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Azadirachtin

Azadirachtin
Azadirachtin.png
Azadirachtin model.png
Names
IUPAC name
Dimethyl (2aR,3S,4S,R,S,7aS,8S,10R,10aS,10bR)-10-(acetyloxy)-3,5-dihydroxy-4-[(1S,2S,6S,8S,9R,11S)-2-hydroxy-11-methyl-5,7,10-trioxatetracyclo[6.3.1.02,6.09,11]dodec-3-en-9-yl]-4-methyl-8-{[(2E)-2-methylbut-2-enoyl]oxy}octahydro-1H-furo[3',4':4,4a]naphtho[1,8-bc]furan-5,10a(8H)-dicarboxylate
Other names
Dimethyl (2aR,3S,4S,4aR,5S,7aS,8S,10R,10aS,10bR)-10-acetoxy-3,5-dihydroxy-4-[(1aR,S,3aS,6aS,7S,7aS)-6a-hydroxy-7a-methyl-3a,6a,7,7a-tetrahydro-2,7-methanofuro[2,3-b]oxireno[e]oxepin- 1a(2H)-yl]-4-methyl-8-{[(2E)-2-methylbut-2-enoyl]oxy}octahydro-1H-naphtho[1,8a-c:4,5-b'c']difuran-5,10a(8H)-dicarboxylate
Identifiers
3D model (Jmol)
ChEBI
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.115.924
KEGG
PubChem CID
Properties
C35H44O16
Molar mass 720.72 g·mol−1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
YesY  (what is YesYN ?)
Infobox references

Azadirachtin, a chemical compound belonging to the limonoid group, is a secondary metabolite present in neem seeds. It is a highly oxidized tetranortriterpenoid which boasts a plethora of oxygen bearing functional groups, including an enol ether, acetal, hemiacetal, tetra-substituted epoxide and a variety of carboxylic esters.

Azadirachtin has a complex molecular structure; it presents both secondary and tertiary hydroxyl groups and a tetrahydrofuran ether in its molecular structure, alongside 16 stereogenic centres, 7 of which are tetrasubstituted. These characteristics explain the great difficulty encountered when trying to prepare this compound from simple precursors, using methods of synthetic organic chemistry.

Hence, the first total synthesis was published over 22 years after the compound's discovery: this first synthesis was completed by the research group of Steven Ley at the University of Cambridge in 2007. The described synthesis was a relay approach, with the required, heavily functionalized decalin intermediate being made by total synthesis on a small scale, but being derived from the natural product itself for the gram-scale operations required to complete the synthesis.

Initially found to be active as a feeding inhibitor towards the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), it is now known to affect over 200 species of insect, by acting mainly as an antifeedant and growth disruptor, and as such it possesses considerable toxicity toward insects (LD50(S. littoralis): 15 μg/g). Azadirachtin fulfills many of the criteria needed for a good insecticide. Azadirachtin is biodegradable (it degrades within 100 hours when exposed to light and water) and shows very low toxicity to mammals (the LD50 in rats is > 3,540 mg/kg making it practically non-toxic).


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