Structure–activity relationship of benzoxazinones and related compounds with respect to the growth inhibition and α-amylase activity in cress seedlings

Benzoxazinones and their degradation compounds inhibited root growth and α-amylase activity in cress seedlings. The inhibitory activity of these compounds was divided into three groups: the high active group; 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, 2,4-dihydroxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, 4-hydroxy-7-methoxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, 4-hydroxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, the moderate active group; 7-methoxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, (2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one, benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one and 2-amino-phenoxazine-3-one, and the low active group; 2-hydroxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, 2-hydroxy-7-methoxy-(2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, 2-amino-7-hydroxyphenoxazine-3-one and 2-amino-7-methoxyphenoxazine-3-one. The structure–activity of these compounds suggests that compounds that have benzoxazinone skeletons are the most active structure, and a hydroxyl group at position C-2 on the benzoxazinone skeleton may not affect inhibitory activity, whereas a hydroxyl group at position N-4 on the skeleton is essential for inhibitory activity. However, the concentration–response curves of these compounds and the I50 values (the concentrations required for 50% inhibition) for root growth and α-amylase indicated that root growth was positively correlated with the α-amylase activity in the seedlings. α-Amylase is required not only for seed germination, but also subsequent seedling growth until photosynthesis is sufficient to support seedling growth. Therefore, these results suggest that the compounds studied here may inhibit the root growth of cress seedlings by inhibiting α-amylase activity.