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Strigolactones are one of the phytohormones, which have multiple activities on plant growth and development. Since these strigolactone activities are highly associated with crop yield, use of strigolactone could be a promising technology in modern sustainable agriculture. The major strigolactones in corn root exudates have been identified as zealactone 1a/b and zeapyranolactone. We recently disclosed the first total synthesis of zealactone 1a/b together with its biological activity in corn. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of simplified analogues of both corn‐derived strigolactones with their bioavailability in soil and their biological activities. These compounds would be potential leads for the development of synthetic strigolactones for the agronomical use in a more sustainable crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strigolactones are plant hormones, which play pivotal roles in plant growth and development with potential application in sustainable agriculture. Recently, zealactone 1a/b has been identified as the major strigolactone from the root exudates of corn. Although zealactone is a promising molecule affecting signaling in the rhizosphere as well as in planta, evaluating its biological activities has been hampered by its low natural abundance and its relative chemical instability. Herein, we present the total synthesis of zealactone 1a/b based on our studies employing a [2+2]‐cycloaddition strategy and a chemoselective Baeyer‐Villiger oxidation to forge the γ‐butyrolactone fragment. Furthermore, we disclose the biological activities of zealactone 1a/b on corn and in soil in comparison with related synthetic analogues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strigolactones are phytohormones, which affect diverse aspects of plant growth and development with potential application in modern agriculture. Recently, heliolactone has been isolated as a non‐canonical type of strigolactone from the root exudates of sunflower, and it could be involved in signaling in the rhizosphere as well as in planta. However, its biological activity is yet to be evaluated, due to its relative chemical instability and its low natural abundance. Herein, we describe the gram‐scale synthesis of heliolactone and its derivatives by using Stille cross‐coupling as the key bond‐forming reaction, and we disclose some of their biological activities (soil stability, binding ability to strigolactone receptor, corn germination, sunflower germination, Orobanche cumana germination and leaf senescence) in comparison with other canonical and non‐canonical strigolactones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]