Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Cyclohexane‐1,3‐diones such as the herbicides cycloxydim, sethoxydim, alloxydim and clethodim are known to be specific inhibitors of the plastid‐located acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACCase) in Poaceae, a key enzyme of de‐novo fatty acid biosynthesis in higher plants. Using several new cyclohexane‐1,3‐dione derivatives and known herbicides, the relationships between chemical structure and enzyme inhibition have been studied. The basic cyclohexane‐1,3‐dione structure was modified at three different positions. These compounds were tested for inhibition of the de novo fatty‐acid biosynthesis in test systems of etioplasts isolated from <jats:italic>Avena sativa</jats:italic> L. and <jats:italic>Hordeum vulgare</jats:italic> L. seedlings and also for inhibition of the isolated barley ACCase. The I<jats:sub>50</jats:sub> values of these cyclohexane‐1,3‐diones were determined. The influence of the modification of alkyl chains (length and type of substituent) on the degree of ACCase‐inhibition is discussed. Several new compounds were found that were about two orders more active than the known herbicides cycloxydim or sethoxydim in the etioplast and ACCase test systems but not necessarily on the level of whole plants.</jats:p>