Buthidazole is a pre-emergence herbicide that is now considered obsolete. It is highly soluble in water and non-volatile. It can be moderately persistent in soil systems depending on local conditions. Very little ecotoxicity data is available. It is moderately toxic to humans if ingested.
Buthidazole is a selective herbicide for weed control in corn. Buthidazole inhibits photosynthetic electron transport at two distinct sites in the photosynthetic electron transport chain. The major site of inhibition was on the reducing side of photosystem II. Another site of electron transport inhibition is on the oxidizing side of photosystem II. Buthidazole inhibits corn photosynthesis and prevents starch accumulation in bundle sheath chloroplasts and some ultrastructural disruption of mesophyl chloroplasts of corn plants[1][2].
Buthidazole is commercially produced through a multi-step synthesis that begins with the construction of the 5-tert-butyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole core, typically via cyclisation of appropriate precursors under controlled conditions. This intermediate is then reacted with 1-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-imidazolidinone, forming the final compound through nucleophilic substitution or condensation reactions.
ChEBI: Buthidazole is a N-acylurea.
Selective, contact, thought to be absorbed by roots and translocated to leaves
[1] Hatzios KK, et al. Inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport in isolated spinach chloroplasts by two 1,3,4-thiadiazolyl derivatives. Plant Physiol. 1980 Feb;65(2):319-21. DOI:
10.1104/pp.65.2.319[2] York A C, et al. Photosynthetic electron transport inhibition by buthidazole[J]. Weed Science, 1981, 29(1): 59-64.
