Abstract: 【Objective】 The objective of this study is to synthesize N-phenoxy-phenyl α-amino acid derivatives and determine their biological activities and translocation in plant seedlings.【Method】By condensation reaction of the amino diphenyl ether and ethyl glyoxylate or ethyl pyruvate respectively, two schiff base compounds (Ia-Ib) were synthesized, and reduced by NaBH4, five kinds of compounds of N-phenoxy-phenyl α-amino acid derivatives were synthesized. Taking the acifuorfen as the comparison, the in vivo toxicities of the 7 kinds of compounds to the rice seedling root and bud were determined. The translocation of the N-phenoxy-phenyl glycine ethyl ester (IIa) in seedlings of Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) was determined by detecting the concentration of the compound IIa in roots of seedlings with HPLC after the seedlings were sprayed with the compound IIa. 【Result】Compounds Ia and IIa had inhibitory effects on growth of roots and buds of the paddy rice seedlings. At low concentration, the compound IIb promoted the growth of the paddy rice seedling's buds and the compound IIc and IId promoted the growth of the paddy rice seedling's root. These compounds had higher bioactivities under illumination than under darkness. After the above-ground part of the Alternanthera philoxeroides was treated with 300 mg•L-1 compound IIa 12 h later, the compound IIa could be detected in the root part of Alternanthera philoxeroides with the content of 8.67 mg•kg-1 FW.【Conclusion】The N-phenoxy-phenyl α-amino acid derivatives could maintain the light-requiring herbicidal activities of diphenyl herbicides, as well as improve the phloem mobility in plant seedlings.

Key words: diphenyl ether, amino acid derivative, synthesis, biological activity, translocation