N-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)carbamates as Potent Flower-Inducing Compounds in Asparagus Seedlings as Well as Probes for Binding to Cytochrome P-450

Masashi Kusukawa and Hajime Iwamura Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606, Japan Z. Naturforsch. 50c, 373-379 (1995); received January 2/February 17, 1995 N-Phenylcarbamates, Flower Induction. Asparagus officinalis, Cytochrome P-450. N-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)carbamates and related compounds were prepared to de­ velop flower-inducing compounds in Asparagus seedlings and to assay binding to microsomal P-450 that has been postulated to be a possible triggering site for flowering. Some of the compounds had flower-inducing activity as effective as that of the previous potent com­ pounds. The microsomal P-450 formed a type I spectrum with a representative of the present compounds as well as with previous, structurally different classes of flower-inducing com­ pounds; which are carbamate and amidine derivatives and piperonyl butoxide, a methylenedioxy compound known as broad-spectrum P-450 inhibitor. Upon addition of NADPH, the spectra of these compounds changed to those with a peak centered at 460 nm, indicating that they all form a reactive, high affinity species to produce a complex with P-450. The target species of the compounds that induce flowering i cytochrome P-450.