PREPARATION, CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE, AND EVALUATION OF PLANT-GROWTH REGULATING ACTIVITY OF GUANIDINOALKANEPHOSPHINATES AND PHOSPHONATES

A series of previously unknown a-guanidinoalkane-phosphonous, alpha- a nd beta-guanidinoalkanephosphonic acids has been prepared in order to study their structures and biological activity. Aminoalkanephosphonous and phosphonic acids have been converted into their guanidino derivat ives by means of S-methylisothiourea hydroiodide or cyanamide amidinat ion. The crystal and molecular structures of three guanidino acids hav e been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The plant growt h regulating activity of all synthesized guanidinoalkanephosphinates a nd phosphonates has been evaluated on Lepidium sativum. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.