Synthesis and fungicidal activity of 2-(diphenylmethyl)-3-arylisoxazolidine-5-carboxamides

A series of new 2-(diphenylmethyl)-3-arylisoxazolidine-5-carboxamides have been prepared from aldehydes. A key step was an uncatalyzed stereoselective and regioselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of N-benzylidene-N-diphenylmethyl nitrones with ethyl acrylate. Some of these amides exhibited fungicidal activities against Fusarium culmorum, Phytophthora cactorum, Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea, and Blumeria graminis.