Anti-bacterial process using substituted thiadiazoles
United States Patent 1 Balasubramanyan et a1.  
 [ 51 Apr. 29, 1975 ANTI-BACTERIAL PROCESS USING SUBSTITUTED TI-IIADIAZOLES [75] Inventors: Sugavanam Balasubramanyan;  
 &#34; Roland Thomas Victor Fox, both of Wokingham, England [73] Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, London, England [22] Filed: May 23, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 363,157  
 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 8. 1972 United Kingdom 26809/72 [52] US. Cl. 424/270 [51] Int. Cl. A0ln 9/12; A0ln 9/22 [58] Field of Search 424/270; 260/306.8 D  
 Hoggarth, Journal of the Chemical Society, 1949, pp. 1 163-1 167.  
 Primary Examiner.lerome D. Goldberg Assistant ExaminerAllen J. Robinson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cushman, Darby &amp; Cushman [57] ABSTRACT A method of combating bacterial diseases of plants which comprises applying to the plants, or to seeds, or I to a medium in which plants are growing or to be grown, a compound of the formula:  
 wherein R is phenyl, optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, or alkyl, alkoxy, nitro, or amino groups; or a phytologically acceptable acid addition salt thereof.  
 2 Claims, No Drawings ANTI-BACTERIAL PROCESS USING SUBSTITUTED THIADIAZOLES This invention relates to methods of combating bacterial and fungal diseases of plants.  
  According to the present invention. there is provided a method of combating bacterial diseases of plants. which comprises applying to the plants. or to seeds thereof, or to a medium in which the plants are growing or are to be grown. a compound of formula:  
 wherein R is a phenyl group optionally substituted by one or more halogen atoms or alkyl, alkoxy, nitro or amino groups; or a phytologically acceptable acid addition salt thereof. Thus R may be, conveniently, a paramethoxy phenyl group or a para nitro phenyl group.  
  When the phenyl group is substituted with one or more halogen atoms these may be chlorine, fluorine, bromine or iodine atoms. Suitable alkyl groups include methyl. ethyl. propyl. butyl. amyl and hexyl groups and the alkoxy groups may likewise contain from 1 to 6 carbon atoms.  
  Specific compounds which may be used in the invention process are set out in Table 1 below. These correspond to the general formula:  
 where X represents hydrogen or one or more substituent groups as specified.  
 The invention embraces the use as plant antibacterial may be acylated in the l-position. with a carboxylic acid. or a reactive derivative thereof and ring closure then effected, for example with an acid. or with acetyl chloride, with the elimination of water, for example as represented by the following diagram.  
  l I k .-t/&#34;&#39; R Alternatively thiosemicarbazide may be reacted with a substituted iminoether (German Pat. No. 10674402) as represented by the diagram:  
  Further processes for preparing the invention compounds are set out in the Journal of the Chemical Society 1949 pp 1163-1167 (E. Hoggarth) Compounds Related to Thiosemicarbazide&#34;Part 11. In the experimental data on page 1 165 and l 166 there is a specific description Part methods for the preparation of the specific compounds set out in Table 1 hereinafter.  
  The bacterial diseases which can be combatted in vivo by the invention process include diseases arising from the following specific organisms:  
 X anthomonas oryzae (blight of rice) Corynebacterium michiganense, (canker of tomatoes) Xanthomonas malvacearum (blackarm of cotton) Erwinia amylovora (fire blight of pears and apples) Pseudomonas phaseolicola (halo blight of beans) Pseudomonas lachrymans (angular leaf spot of cucumber) A particularly useful feature of the activity of the plant anti-bacterial agents is their ability to act as systemic bactericides, that is to say, their ability to move in a plant to combat an infection or infestation thereon remote from a site of initial application of an agent. Thus an agent or a composition containing the same,  
 may be applied to the soil surrounding the roots of a plant and be taken up by the plant through its roots to combat bacterial pests on the plant.  
  In use the plant antibacterial agents may be applied as such or as simple solutions, e.g. of their salts. Preferably however, they are formulated into compositions using for example, an adjuvant such as an inert diluent or carrier, which may be a solid or a liquid.  
  In a further aspect, therefore, this invention provides a plant anti-bacterial composition comprising, as an active ingredient or agent, a compound as defined hereinabove or a salt thereof, if desired in the presence of a carrier.  
  In a preferred aspect the invention provides a plant antibacterial composition comprising, as an active agent, an organic acid addition salt of a compound as defined hereinabove, or an inorganic acid addition salt thereof.  
  The active agents, and compositions containing them can be used to combat plant bacteria in a number of ways. Thus they can be applied to the foliage of an infected plant, to seed or other propagative parts of plants, or to the soil or other medium in which plants are growing or to be planted. All these modes of application are deemed to fall within the scope of the expression applying to the locus of a plant used hereinafter. The particular type of composition used in any instance will depend upon the particular purpose for which it is to be used.  
  The invention compositions may be in the form of dusting powders or granules wherein the active ingredient is mixed with a solid diluent or carrier. Suitable solid diluents or carriers may be, for example, kaolinite (china clay) montmorillonite, attapulgite, talc, pumice, silica, calcium carbonate, gypsum, powdered magnesia, Fuller&#39;s earth, Hewitts earth and diatomaceous earth. Compositions for dressing seed, for example, may comprise an agent assisting the adhesion of the composition to the seed, for example, a mineral oil.  
  The compositions may also be in the form of dispersible powders or grains comprising, in addition to the active ingredient, a wetting agent to facilitate the dispersion of the powder or grains in liquids. Such powders or grains may include fillers, suspending agents and the like.  
  The compositions may also be in the form of liquid preparations to be used as dips or sprays which are generally aqueous dispersions or emulsions containing the active ingredient in the presence of one or more wetting agents, dispersing agents, emulsifying agents or suspending agents.  
  Wetting agents, dispersing agents and emulsifying agents may be of the cationic, anionic, or non-ionic type. Suitable agents of the cationic type include, for example, quaternary ammonium compounds, for example, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Suitable agents of the anionic type include, for example, soaps, salts of aliphatic monoesters of sulphuric acid, for example sodium lauryl sulphate, salts of sulphonated aromatic compounds, for example sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate, sodium, calcium or ammonium lignosulphonate, butyl-naphthalene sulphonate, and a mixture of the sodium salts of diisopropyl and triisopropyl naphthalene sulphonic acids.  
  Suitable agents of the non-ionic type include, for example, the condensation products of ethylene oxide with fatty alcohols such as oleyl alcohol or cetyl alcohol, or with alkyl phenols such as octylphenol, nonylcresol etc., Other non-ionic agents are the partial esters derived from long chain fatty acids and hexitol anhydrides, the condensation products of the said partial esters with ethylene oxide, the lecithins, and block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.  
  Suitable suspending agents are, for example, bentonite, pyrogenic silica, and hydorphilic colloids, for example polyvinylpyrrolidone and sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and the vegetable gums, for example gurn acacia and gum tragacanth.  
  The aqueous solutions dispersions or emulsions may be prepared by dissolving the active ingredient or ingredients in an organic solvent which may contain one or more wetting, dispersing or emulsifying agents and then adding the mixture so obtained to water which may likewise contain one or more wetting, dispersing or emulsifying agents. Suitable organic solvents are ethylene dichloride, isopropyl alcohol, propylene glycol, diacetone alcohol, toluene, kerosene, methylnaphthalene, xylenes and trichloroethylene.  
  The active ingredients may also be formulated into compositions comprising capsules or microcapsules containing either the active ingredient itself, or a composition containing the active ingredient, and prepared by any of the known encapsulation or microencapsulation techniques.  
  The compositions to be used as sprays may also be in the form of aerosols wherein the formulation is held in a container under pressure in the presence of a propellant such as fluorotrichloromethane or dichlorodifluoromethane.  
  By the inclusion of suitable additives, for example, for improving the distribution, adhesive powder and resistance to rain on treated surfaces, the different compositions can be better adapted for the various uses for which they are intended. The active ingredients of this invention as hereinbefore defined may also be conveniently formulated by admixing them with fertilizers. A preferred composition of this type comprises granules of fertilizer material incorporating, for example, coated with, an active ingredient. The fertilizer material may, for example, comprise nitrogen or phosphatecontaining substances.  
  In yet a further aspect of the invention, therefore, we provide a fertilizer comprising an active ingredient as hereinbefore defined.  
  The compositions which are to be used in the form of aqueous dispersions or emulsions are generally supplied in the form of a concentrate containing a high proportion of the active ingredient or ingredients, the said concentrate to be diluted with water before use.  
  These concentrates are often required to withstand storage for prolonged periods and after such storage, to be capable of dilution with water in order to form aqueous preparations which remain homogeneous for a sufficient time to enable them to be applied by conventional spray equipment. The concentrates may conveniently contain from -85% by weight of the active ingredient or ingredients and generally from 25-60% by weight of the active ingredient or ingredients. When diluted to form aqueous preparations, such preparations may contain varying amounts of the active ingredients or ingredients depending upon the purpose for which they are to be used, but an aqueous preparation containing between 0.01 and 10% by weight of active ingredient or ingredients may be used.  
  It is to be understood that the anti-bacterial compositions of this invention may comprise, in addition to an active ingredient as hereinbefore defined, one or more other compounds having similar, or any other biological activity. Thus the agents used may include a benzimidazole or streptomycin; or a compound acting in synergistic conjunction with the agent.  
  The application of the anti-bacterial compounds according to the process of the invention may be carried out in a variety of ways depending inter alia upon the identity of the disease to be combatted, and the situation in which it is encountered. For example, plants infected with disease or liable to infection may be sprayed with or dipped into compositions containing an active compound. Woody and herbaceous plants may, for example, be painted with such a composition or treated with a grease formulation containing the active agent. Such paint and grease formulations may be particularly useful for application to cut wounds and galls on plants. Plant seeds may be soaked in aqueous compositions containing an active agent or treated with seed dressings comprising a dispersion of the active agent, in a solid diluent, for example kaolin.  
  The following Examples illustrate the antibacterial processes of this invention and compositions therefor. In these Examples the streptomycin used was in the form of a commercial formulation sold under the name of Agrimycin. Agrimycin contains of streptomycin and 1.5% of oxytetracycline. This material is presently used commercially for the control of bacterial diseases of plants.  
 EXAMPLE 1 This example illustrates the control of various plant bacterial diseases according to the invention processes. The procedure for each disease is described below and thereafter, in Table 2, are set out the results. The actual compounds used are set out and numbered in Table 1 above.  
 Test Procedure for Erwinia amylovora (fireblight of pears).  
  Pear seedlings grown in 2 inch pots were treated with a root drench (10 ml.) containing the chemical compound under test. A further group of seedlings was treated with a root drench (10 ml) containing streptomycin (1000 parts per million). Twenty four hours later, both groups of plants were inoculated with Erwinia amylovora by applying a suspension of cells of this bacterium to wounds made in the seedling. After two weeks the condition of the pear seedlings was assessed on a 0-4 scale, where 0 is no control, 1 is slight control, 2 is fair control, 3 is good control and 4 is complete control. The mean results are recorded in Table 2.  
 Test Procedure for Corynebacterium michiganese (tomato canker).  
  Tomato seedlings grown in 2 inch pots were treated with a root drench (10 ml.) containing the chemical compound under test. A further group of seedlings was treated with a root drench (10 ml.) containing streptomycin (1000 ppm). Twenty four hours later the seedlings were inoculated with Corynebacterium michiganese by applying a suspension of cells of this bacterium to wounds made in the seedlings.  
  After three weeks the condition of the tomato seedlings was assessed on a 0-4 scale; where 0 is no control, 1 is slight control, 2 is fair control, 3 is good control, and 4 is complete control. Phytotoxicity was assessed but none of the compounds exhibited phytotoxic effects at 1000 and ppm.  
 Test Procedure for Pseudomonas phaseolicola Cotton seeds were soaked for 24 hours in a 10 cells per millilitre suspension of 18 hour old bacteria and then dried. The seeds were then dressed with a formulation containing the compounds of Table 1 under test dispersed in Kaolin containing 2% mineral oil. The concentration of the active compound was 12%% by weight and the seed dressing was applied at the rate of 1000 parts of active compound per million parts of seeds. Five seeds were then planted per pot in 2 inch diameter pots, replicated 4 times. Emergency of the seedlings and disease control was assessed fourteen days later keeping the plants in a relative humidity of 100%. The control of disease obtained is expressed as a grading on a grading scale of from 0 to 4 where, as before, 0 represents non-germinated seeds and wholly infected seedlings and 4 represents germinated seeds and completely disease free seedlings.  
 Test Procedure for Pseudomonas phaseolicola Dwarf French Bean seed were infected with Pseudomonas phaseolicola (haloblight of beans) by soaking for 6 hours in an 18 hour old nutrient broth shake culture of Pseudomonas phaseolicola. The seeds were then air dried to constant weight at 25C. The seeds were then dressed with a seed dressing containing 1000 parts of the compound under testper million parts of seed. The seeds were then planted in sterile compost. After 2 weeks the condition of the emerged seedlings was assessed and, as before, the degree of control is expressed in Table 2 on a scale of 0 to 4, as above.  
 Test procedure for Pseudomonas Iachrymans.  
  Cucumber seedlings, 1 week old were treated with the test compounds by the application of a 10 ml root drench containing 100 parts per million of the compounds under test. 24 Hours later, the plants were exposed to infection by applying one drop of an inoculum of Pseudomonas Iachrymans to the bud. The seedlings were kept at 100% relative humidity in a glass house maintained at a temperature of 2030C and then assessed on a -4 scale (as above) 7 days later.  
 the standard 100 ppm Streptomycin and 5000 ppm cuprous oxide sprays were applied in a similar way. All treatments were formulated with 200 ppm Agral 90 wetter. Agral90 is a surface active agent and com- (Fireblight) in field trials.  
 . i u Test procedure for Xanthomonas oryzae (bacterial Pnses 4 mixture of LMQPOI NX (90%) 4nd ethyl blight of rice). cohol (l07r Lissapol NX is a condensate of 1 mole of Rice seedlings at the three leaf Stage were root nonyl phenol with 8 moles of ethylene oxide. Agral and drenched ml.) and sprayed with the chemical com- Llssapol are Trade l- T pear leaves w pound under test. Twenty-four hours later the plants I0 Sgssed for symptoms of f&#39;rebllght three penods one were inoculated by wounding with forceps dipped in a l f The results are glven m the Table belowsuspension of Xanrlummnas uryzue. After I4 days at A slmllar test was earned out flowermg Golden 100% relative humidity the seedlings were assessed for li o s&#34; appl ee u only On ssess e t as disease on a 0-4 scale, where the gradings 0. l, 2. 3 and made. In practice many strains of Erwinia amylovora 4 represent the same degree of control as previously l5 are resistant to streptomycin and copper sprays are described for the diseases above. Results are expressed h m i at effe tive rates, in Table 2.  
  TABLE 2 In the table below means not tested at the rate shown Compound No. Antibacterial Activity Table l Fireblight Tomato Cotton Haloblight Angular Bacterial canker black of bean leaf Blight of Rate arm spot of Rice ppm cucumber Erwinia Curyno- X anllmmu- (Pseudo- Pseudm X anilmmunas amylm&#39;ora) baclerimn nus malvamonas monux oryzae) mic/ligancearum phuseu- Lac/Ir em&#39;o lit-01a) mans) I00 4 2 2 3 3 I000 0 0 I00 0 I 4 I000 0 3 I00 2 0 0 5 I000 2 I I00 0 l 0 l 6 I000 2 0 I00 I 7 1000 2 l I 4 I00 3 3 4 0 l Streptomycin I000 I 0 0 0 0 (Agrimycin) I00 I I 0 0 0 Untreated 0 0 0 0 0 Control In addition to the glasshouse tests described, field tri- Tress I t? Trecs ercen 2lg COD T0 0 als were carried out w th compounds Nos. I and 7 In Raw Firebugm Table l as these had given the best control of the disof eases i h h Compound Appli- Assessment Assessment cation after after (ppm) I 2 3 one week Weeks Weeks 5 Week No. I ofTable I 200 78 2| 0 0 No. l of Table l I000 83 86 96 43 No. 7 of Table l 200 59 9 l8 l3 Streptomycin I00 87 96 39 C uprous oxide 5000 84 77 90 0 Test procedures and results against Erwmza amylovora 55 Comm; I) 0 0 0 Untreated ppm. parts per million.  
 Test procedures and results against Xamhomones malrac&#39;erum (blackarm of cotton) in field trials.  
  In this test 4 replicates of I00 cotton seeds artificially inoculated by soaking in XanI/mmonas malvacearum Rate of Application in ppm (seed Dressing) Compound Percentage No. of  
 Seedlings displaying Disease symptoms No.1 ofTable l Cuprous oxide Untreated Control Compound No. l of Table l displayed activity comparable with cuprous oxide at one fifth of the application rate.  
 Test procedures and results against Pseudomonas phaseolicola (Haloblight of beans) in field trials In this test carried out in Berkshire, England, 4 replicates of 100 Dwarf French Beans (Canadian Wonder) were 50% artificially infected with Pseudomonas phaseolicola. The seedlings were sprayed at fortnightly intervals after they had emerged with 25% a.i. dispersible powder formulations made up in water. The percentage of the plants with secondary spot symptoms was assessed 8 weeks after planting, and the percentage of infected pods were assessed 14 weeks after planting. The results show that compounds Nos. 1 and 7 are more effective for the control of haloblight of beans than cuprous oxide sprays, even at high rates. The results are given in tabular form below.  
 Percentage Test Procedures and results against Pseudomonas morsprunorum (cherry canker) In this test replicated sapling cherry trees (variety East Malling F121 rootstocks) naturally infected with Pseudonomas mors prumorum were sprayed at fort-- nightly intervals with test chemical. The assessment was made by counting the number of leaves with symptoms among the top 4 leaves per tree and the results are expressed as a percentage of the control of the disease level in the table below.  
 Compound Rate of Spray Percentage Control Application of cherry tree in p.p.m. canker disease No.1 of Table l 1000 60 No.7 of Table l 1000 65 Cuprous Oxide 5000 0 Control Untreated 0 It is clear that both compounds 1 and 7 have given superior control of cherry canker disease than that given by cuprous oxide.  
  The above results illustrate with considerable clarity the advantages of the plant antibacterial agents, defined as hereinbefore set forth, over both streptomycin (Agrimycin) and cuprous oxide, which are presently the well known commercially available substances for combating plant bacterial diseases.  
 EXAMPLE 2 This example illustrates a dusting powder which may be applied directly to plants or other surfaces and comprises l% by weight of compound No. l of Table l and 99% by weight of talc.  
 EXAMPLE 3 5 Parts by weight of Compound No. 7 of Table l were thoroughly mixed in a suitable mixer with parts by weight of talc. There was thus obtained a dusting powder.  
 EXAMPLE 4 The ingredients listed below were ground together in the proportions stated to produce a powdered mixture readily dispersible in liquids.  
  A composition in the form of grains readily dispersible in a liquid (for example water) was prepared by grinding together the first four of the ingredients listed below in the presence of water and then the sodium acetate was mixed in. The admixture was dried and passed through a British Standard mesh sieve, size 44-100 to obtain the desired size of grains.  
 Compound No.7 of Table 1 50% Dispersol T 12.5% Calcium lignosulphonatc 57: Sodium dodecylbenzcnesulphonate 12.5% Sodium acetate 2071 1007:  
 EXAMPLE 6 A composition suitable for use as a seed dressing was prepared by mixing all three of the ingredients set out below in the proportions stated.  
 EXAMPLE 7 A granular composition was prepared by dissolving the active ingredient in a solvent, spraying the solution. obtained onto the granules of pumice and allowing the solvent to evaporate.  
 Compound No.1 of Table l Pumice Granules 95% 100% EXAMPLE 8 An aqueous dispersion formulation was prepared by mixing and grinding the ingredients recited below in the proportions stated.  
 7r wt.  
 Compound No.7 of Table l 40% Calcium lignosulphonate 10% Water 50% 100% EXAMPLE 9 The following example illustrates the preparation of Z-arhino-S-p-nitrophenyl-l ,3,4-thiadiazole (Compound No. l of Table 1). l-p-nitrobenzoylthiosemicarbazide (240 parts) is slowly added during 1 hour to 90% V/V 5-p-methoxyphenyl-l ,3,4-thiadiazole.  
 Sulphuric acid 1.1 l) with stirring keeping the temperature at 120C. After the addition the solution is stirred for 1 hour at 120C, cooled and poured onto ice (3000 parts). The slurry is basified with ammonia keeping the temperature below 30C. The bright yellow solid is filtered off, washed with water and dried. It is then recrystallized from ethoxyethanol to yield a solid melting at 254C.  
  The l-p-nitrobenzoylthiosemicarbazide used in the above process was prepared as follows:  
  Thiosemicarbazide (273 parts) suspended in dry pyridine (3 l) is cooled to 5C and treated with pnitrobenzoyl chloride (556.5 parts) during 1 hour keeping the temperature below 0C. The reaction mixture is stirred for 12 hours, during which time room temperature was attained, and then poured into hot water (6 1). The mixture is heated on a steam bath, filtered and the filtrate cooled in an ice bath. The solid is filtered and dried and recrystallized from n-propyl alcohol, to yield a solid melting at 219C with decomposition.  
  Analogous processes were used to prepared the compounds specified in Table 1 above.  
 We claim:  
  1. A method of combating bacteria which causes diseases of plants which comprises applying to said bacteria an anti-bacterially effective amount of a compound of the formula:  
 wherein R is phenyl or phenyl substituted with halogen, alkyl of l6 carbons, alkoxy of l-6 carbons, nitro, or amino; or a phytologically acceptable acid addition salt thereof.  
  2. The method of claim 1 wherein said compound is 2-amino-5-p-nitrophenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole or Z-amino-