Photoinduced addition of the fungicide anilazine to cyclohexene and methyl oleate as model compounds of plant cuticle constituents.

Photoreactions, initiated by sunlight irradiation, between organochlorine pesticides and olefinic compounds of plant cuticles have been postulated. Concerning the formation of bound residues, which so far have not been detectable by common analytical techniques, photoaddition reactions are of main interest. In order to study the photochemical behavior of chlorinated fungicides, anilazine was irradiated in cyclohexene and methyl oleate as model compounds for olefinic plant cuticle constituents. Anilazine extensively reacted with the cis-double bond of both model compounds via radical mechanisms. In addition to a dechlorinated photoproduct several addition products were formed showing plausible reaction pathways for the formation of bound residues in plant cuticles. Photoproducts were isolated by preparative HPLC and analyzed by HPLC, MS, 1H-, and 13C-NMR.