This invention relates to antifungal and insecticidal chemicals of a broad class of furan-3-carboxamide derivatives of the following general formula: ##SPC1##

Wherein R is hydrogen, methyl, or other alkyl, acyl, aroyl (e.g. benzoyl), sulfenyl (e.g. trichloromethyl sulfenyl); R' is hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, naphthyl, benzyl, pyridyl, thiazolyl, ethylene bis-, furylmethyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl. The phenyl substitution may consist of alkyl, alkoxy, nitro, halo, carboxy or phenyl such as in biphenyl. R and R' can be joined by forming heterocyclic groups such as by morpholido and other ring structures; X, Y and Z can be independently selected from hydrogen, NH₂ -, alkyl, substituted alkyl (e.g. hydroxyalkyl, chloroalkyl, nitroalkyl), halo, alkenyl (e.g. allyl), Y and Z together are α-ω-alkylene (e.g. tetramethylene), phenyl, substituted phenyl (e.g. alkylphenyl, halophenyl, alkoxyphenyl).

Of the many furan-3-carboxamide derivatives that are within the invention, most are novel compounds which are fully described in the copending application of Felauer et al, Ser. No. 799,109, filed of even date herewith and assigned to the assignee of the instant application.

The broad class of furan-3-carboxamide derivatives can be prepared by reacting an α-hydroxyketone or α-hydroxyaldehyde (I) with an acetamide (II), in an inert solvent (such as benzene, toluene or xylene or mixtures thereof), with an active Friedel-Crafts reagent (such as AlCl₃, AlBr₃ or SnCl₄), to produce the carboxamide derivative (III), as follows: ##EQU1## ##SPC2##

AlCl₃, AlBr₃ and SnCl₄ are preferred Friedel-Crafts reagents. (ZnCl₂ and BF₃, being weaker Friedel-Crafts reagents tend to produce pyrrole rather than furan structures.) It has been found convenient to use about 0.5 mole of the selected Friedel-Crafts reagent for each mole of α-hydroxyketone or aldehyde or acetamide used and to use equimolar quantities of the latter reagents.

As indicated, the ring closure is accompanied by the expulsion of water and, accordingly, a strongly dehydrating Friedel-Crafts reagent is preferred. On the other hand, it is possible to remove the water of reaction by some other means (e.g. azeotropically) and to use just a catalytic amount of the Friedel-Crafts reagent (i.e. 0.01 to 0.5 mole per mole of α-hydroxyketone or aldehyde or acetamide).

Since the Friedel-Crafts reagents reacts with hydroxy groups, it is preferable to employ anhydrous reactants and non-hydroxylic solvents such as, for example, in addition to those mentioned above, nitrobenzene, chlorobenzene, ethyl acetate and acetonitrile.

It is convenient to use equimolar amounts of the α-hydroxyketone or α-hydroxyaldehyde and acetamide reactants. The reaction is exothermic, although some heating to temperatures of about 50°C. or higher suffices. Preferably neither the initial temperature nor the temperature resulting from the heat of the exothermic reaction should exceed the boiling point of the reacting solution.

After completion of the reaction, the reacting solution is quenched with water and hydrochloric acid, the solvent layer is separated, and the product crystallized from solution.

The furan-3-carboxamide derivatives can also be made by using the foregoing process to obtain the basic furan-3-carboxamide structure (III), and then employing any well-known substitution reaction to provide a desired radical at any or all of the X, Y and Z positions, as well as at the R position.

One important aspect of the invention is the breadth of the class of furan-3-carboxamides which possesses the high degree of anti-fungal and other activity found. Another significant aspect is the wide variety of pathogens against which the compounds of the invention are notably effective.

Included within the invention are compounds possessing systemic activity against pathogens that are systemic in the plant or deeply embedded in plant tissue, and therefore not affected by ordinary protectant chemicals, e.g., Ustilago nuda (Jens.) Rostr. which causes Loose Smut of barley; and compounds effective against rust diseases, e.g., Uromyces phaseoli (Pers.) Wint. var. typica Arth. and Wheat Leaf Rust caused by Puccinia rubigo-vera tritici (D.C.) Wint., either by foliar application or by seed or soil treatment; and compounds which, either in treating soil or seed, can control seedling diseases caused by soil-borne organisms, such as Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn, which causes seedling decay in cotton; and compounds capable of affording protection from diseases, such as Early Blight of tomatoes caused by Alternaria solani (Ell. and G. Martin) Sor., by foliar application.

It should be pointed out that the furan-3-carboxamides should not be confused with certain known furan-2-carboxamide derivatives. Thus furan-2-carboxanilide and 3-methyl furan-2-carboxanilide each gave 0% control in the bean rust test of Example 1 below.

The following examples illustrate the invention:

Example 1 - Foliage spray treatment for control of established bean rust disease (Uromyces phaseoli).

Procedure

The ability to control plant diseases which are already established in the plants was evaluated by employing the following testing technique.

Two hundred milligrams chemical were dissolved in 20 ml of acetone and 60 mg of a surfactant such as Triton X-100.* This preparation was diluted with 80 ml distilled water giving a chemical suspension of 2000 ppm. Further serial dilutions were prepared from this as desired. The chemical suspensions were sprayed on duplicate pots, each containing two snapbean plants which had, 48 prior to this, been inoculated with bean rust Uromyces phaseoli typica Arth. At the time of the chemical spray the bean plants have just begun to expand their first trifoliate leaves. The test plants were then placed in a control chamber for 24 hours at 75°F and 100% relative humidity. After this time the plants were returned to the greenhouse. About 10 days later the plants were scored for disease control.

Type I. ##SPC3##

                                 %R       R'               PPM     Control______________________________________H       cyclohexyl       2000    100                    500     95"       phenyl           250     100                    125     90"       2-tolyl          500     100"       3-tolyl          500     100                    125     90"       4-tolyl          2000    100                    500     30"       2-biphenylyl     2000    100                    500     80"       3-methoxy phenyl 500     100                    250     99"       4-methoxy phenyl 2000    98"       2-methyl-6-chloro                    2000    50   phenyl"       2-naphthyl       2000    50CH3   phenyl           2000    85______________________________________

Type II. ##SPC4##

2,4-dimethyl-    62        1003-carboxanilido  31        98Furan2,5-dimethyl-    250       1003-carboxanilidoFuran2-propyl-4,5-    2000      75dimethylcarboxanilidoFuran

Type III ##SPC5##

R        R'             PPM     % Control______________________________________H        isopropyl      500     80"        n-butyl        500     99"        cyclohexyl     62      95"        allyl          500     75"        phenyl         31      100                   16      100"        2-tolyl        62      100                   31      98"        3-tolyl        62      99                   31      70"        4-tolyl        500     100                   62      78"        2,6-dimethyl   2000    50    phenyl"        2,4,6-tri-     2000    90    methyl phenyl"        2-biphenylyl   2000    50"        2-methoxy      2000    100    phenyl"        3-methoxy      125     100    phenyl         62      95"        4-methoxy      62      99    phenyl"        α-naphthyl                   2000    60CH3 phenyl         500     100______________________________________

Example 2. Foliage spray treatment for preventing the establishment of bean rust disease (Uromyces phaseoli).

Procedure

A number of Pinto beans were sprayed with 100 and 50 ppm dosages of certain chemicals of the invention and the plants were kept in a greenhouse environment at 75°F. At intervals of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 days after chemical application a number of plants were removed from the greenhouse, inoculated with Uromyces phaseoli and kept in a moist chamber for 24 hours to initiate infection. The plants were then removed to the greenhouse. Symptoms appeared in about 5 days and chemical treatments were evaluated by the extent of disease development in the treated plants as compared to the non-treated controls.

Results

              Table II.______________________________________Control of bean rust (Uromyces phaseoli).duration of protection by foliage spray offuran-3-carboxamides.Protection Test% Control When Treated X DaysBefore Inoculation With RustChemical  PPM     0       1     2     3     4______________________________________3-carbox- 200     100     100   100   100   100anilido-2,4,5     100     100     100   100   100   100trimethyl  50     100     100   100   100   99furan2,4,5-tri-     200     100     100    95    85   80methyl-3-(2-     100     100     100    40    60   40methyl carbox-      50     100      98    20    50    0anilido) furanControl - Severe infection______________________________________

Plants sprayed with 50 ppm 3-carboxanilido-2,4,5-trimethylfuran were effectively protected against infection by the bean rust fungus.

Example 3. Eradication of bean rust infection by foliar application of furan-3-carboxamides.

A number of Pinto beans were inoculated with the bean rust fungus, Uromyces phaseoli, and the disease was allowed to become established. Plants were then sprayed with certain chemicals of the invention at 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 days after inoculation with the fungus to determine the eradicant action of the chemicals. After spraying with the chemicals, the plants were returned to the greenhouse and disease development was evaluated in the usual manner after about 10 days. Chemicals were evaluated on the basis of their ability to eliminate the fungus infection from the plant or to stop its development.

Results

              Table III.______________________________________        % Control At Time Intervals -        Days after InoculationChemical       PPM    2      3    4    5    6______________________________________3-carboxanilido-2,4,5-trimethyl furan           50    --     100  100   98  60   "           100     97    100  100  100  90   "           200     99    100  100  100  952,4,5-trimethyl 3-(2-methyl carboxanilido)furan           50    --     100  100  100  30   "           100    100    100  100  100  80   "           200    100    100  100  100  93Untreated      (severe infection)______________________________________

As can be seen from the above data, the chemicals of the invention gave eradication of the rust disease up to 6 days after the inoculation.

Example 4. Soil treatment for control of seedling diseases.

Chemicals of this invention were evaluated as soil fungicides for their effectiveness in controlling soil-borne plant seedling diseases such as post-emergence damping-off of cotton seedlings caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn.

Procedure

The test method used was as follows:

Sixty-six mg. of the chemical were thoroughly mixed in a glass jar with one pound of clean, dry sand. The mixing was accomplished by vigorously shaking the covered jar. This masterbatch was then thoroughly mixed with 6-1/4 pounds of soil to give a 20 ppm (parts per million) concentration of chemical. The treated soil was then placed into five 4 inch diameter pots in which 5 cotton seeds per pot, (Variety Stoneville 213) were planted. Before covering the planted seed the pots were inoculated by placing a grain of oats, infested with Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn from a two week old culture, in the center of each pot. The seed and the inoculum were then covered with a layer of soil about 1/2 inch thick. Five replications were used giving a total of 25 seeds for each chemical treatment. An untreated control, replicated five times and planted and inoculated with the fungus in the same manner, was included in the test along with a similar control set which was not inoculated with the fungus.

After planting, the pots were then transferred to the greenhouse, watered and kept under warm, moist conditions by subirrigating and maintaining a 72°F. to 78°F. soil temperature. Results were taken two to three weeks later by counting the number of emerged and surviving cotton seedlings. The percent stand of cotton seedlings was calculated using the following formula: ##EQU2## The percent control was determined by using the following formula: ##EQU3##

where A = % stand in treated inoculated soil.B =       % stand in untreated inoculated soil.C =       % stand in untreated non-inoculated soil.

Results

The following table gives the percent emergence and percent stand of cotton seedlings for treatment (40 ppm) with the chemicals listed, as compared to the untreated inoculated and untreated uninoculated soil controls. (40 ppm is equivalent to an application rate of 1.2 pound/acre treated area 2 inches wide and 2 inches deep; parallel rows in one direction; a distance of 40 inches apart).

Table IV.

The fungicidal effect of Furan-3-carboxamides as measured by their ability to control soilborne plant seedling disease.

Type I ##SPC6##

                          %     %     %R=H    R'         PPM     Emerg.                           Stand Control______________________________________"     cyclohexyl  40      88    48    39             10      92    56    54"     ethylene bis-             40      84    52    40"     phenyl      40      96    92    100             10      84    76    80"     3-tolyl     40      92    88    84             10      96    76    62"     4-tolyl     40      96    88    86             10      88    68    50"     2,6-dimethyl             40      92    60    53 phenyl      10      88    44    27"     2,4,6-tri-  40      72    60    62 methyl phenyl             10      92    52    46"     2-methoxy   40      88    72    57 phenyl      10      88    56    29"     3-methoxy   40      96    76    92 phenyl      10      92    64    69"     4-methoxy   40      92    88    86 phenyl      10      92    76    64"     4-nitro phenyl             40      72    56    54"     2-thiazolyl 40      92    68    64             10      88    52    36______________________________________

Type III ##SPC7##

R=H    R'          PPM    % Emerg.                            % Stand                                  % Control______________________________________"      H           40     92     72    54              10     88     60    31"      isopropyl   40     88     76    62"      butyl       40     92     72    54              10     96     64    38"      cyclohexyl  40     100    96    100              10     92     84    83"      allyl       40     96     80    69              10     92     68    46"      benzyl      40     92     56    47"      phenyl      40     88     84    70              10     88     80    60"      2-tolyl     40     96     92    93              10     88     76    64"      3-tolyl     40     100    92    93              10     96     76    64"      4-tolyl     40     92     76    64"      2,6-dimethyl              40     96     88    92  phenyl      10     96     76    67"      2,4,6-tri-  40     92     88    92  methyl phenyl              10     100    80    75"      2-methoxy   40     96     90    93  phenyl      10     92     72    57"      3-methoxy   40     96     92    100  phenyl      10     100    84    83"      4-methoxy   40     92     84    77  phenyl      10     96     76    62"      4-chloro    40     88     64    57  phenyl"      2-chloro-6- 40     96     76    67  methyl phenyl              10     88     68    50"      α-naphthyl              40     92     72    71"      2-pyridyl   40     96     80    85              10     88     60    46R=ethyl  ethyl       40     88     64    54______________________________________

Type II ##SPC8##

                             %     %    %X      Y       Z       PPM   Emerg.                              Stand                                   Control______________________________________methyl methyl  H       40    88    80    70                  10    90    88    84methyl H       methyl  40    84    76    78                  10    88    68    64propyl methyl  methyl  40    100   92    100                  10    96    84    77methyl phenyl  phenyl  40    92    68    48phenyl methyl  methyl  40    80    64    48                  10    84    60    36Untreated inoculated soil          --      88      56     0   (control)Untreated uninoculated soil          --      96      96    --   (control)______________________________________

Table IV above shows the effectiveness of the chemicals of this invention as soil fungicides in preventing Rhizoctonia incited damping-off of cotton seedlings.

Example 5. FOLIAGE spray of furan-3-carboxamides for protecting tomato plants from infection by the early blight fungus, Alternaria solani.

This example evaluates the chemicals of the present invention as foliage fungicides by their ability to protect plants from subsequent infection by fungus diseases.

Procedure

One gram of the chemical to be tested was ground with three ml of acetone and 50 mg of a non-ionic surface-active agent (Triton X-100, a condensation product of an alkyl phenol and ethylene oxide). The acetone and surface-active agent are known to be inactive in the biological tests run. The mixture was diluted with water, giving suspensions containing 500 and 2000 ppm of the chemical. These suspensions were sprayed on duplicate 6 inch tomato plants (variety Clark's Early Special) using a gun-type sprayer. The plants were then placed in the greenhouse, together with untreated check plants. Twenty-four hours later the treated and untreated check plants were inoculated with a suspension of Alternaria solani spores by means of a 20 second spray from an atomizer sprayer (delivery rate 1 ml per second). The plants were then kept overnight in a controlled chamber at a temperature of 75°F. and 100% relative humidity. In the morning the plants were transferred to the greenhouse. Three days layer the disease was scored by comparing the number of disease lesions of the treated plants with the untreated control. The formula used to determine percent control is: ##EQU4##

Results

Table V

Control of tomato early blight disease by foliage application of furan-3-carboxamides.

Type I ##SPC9##

R=H      R'            PPM        % Control______________________________________"       phenyl         500        83"       2-tolyl        2000       87                  500        65"       3-tolyl        2000       75                  500        50"       4-tolyl        2000       75                  500        88"       2,6-dimethylphenyl                  2000       71                  500        67"       2-biphenylyl   2000       100                  500        99"       2-methoxy phenyl                  500        90                  125        79"       3-methoxy phenyl                  500        75"       4-chloro phenyl                  2000       98                  500        72"       2,4-dichloro   2000       83   phenyl         500        77"       2-methyl-6-chloro                  2000       74   phenyl         500        77"       2-carboxy phenyl                  2000       75                  500        50"       α-naphthyl                  2000       81                  500        67"       2-thiazolyl    2000       99                  500        93"       H              2000       50"       n-butyl        2000       75"       cyclohexyl     2000       75                  500        50"       decyl          2000       50"       allyl          2000       50"       furyl methyl   2000       71______________________________________

Type III ##SPC10##

"       H              2000       90                  500        78"       isopropyl      2000       96                  500        76"       n-butyl        2000       98                  500        90"       cyclohexyl     2000       99                  500        99"       decyl          2000       90                  500        88"       allyl          2000       90                  500        73"       benzyl         2000       96                  500        79"       furylmethyl    2000       98                  500        85"       phenyl         2000       80                  500        70"       2-tolyl        2000       85                  500        78"       3-tolyl        500        87"       4-tolyl        2000       88                  500        84"       2,6-dimethyl phenyl                  2000       50"       2,4,6-trimethyl                  2000       50   phenyl         500        50"       2-biphenylyl   2000       90                  500        87"       2-methoxy phenyl                  2000       79                  500        77"       3-methoxy phenyl                  2000       90                  500        50"       4-methoxy phenyl                  2000       74"       4-chloro phenyl                  2000       76                  500        67"       2-carboxy phenyl                  2000       78                  500        50"       α-naphthyl                  2000       77                  500        70"       β-naphthyl                  2000       87                  500        77"       2-pyridyl      2000       81                  500        50

As demonstrated by the results shown in Table V, the chemicals of this invention are effective protective fungicides.

Example 6. Wheat leaf rust control by seed treatment with furan-3-carboxamides.

Certain chemicals of the invention were applied to wheat seeds by tumbling an appropriate quantity of chemical with 50 gram seed lots in small glass jars for 35 minutes. The seeds were planted in a standard soil mixture and were allowed to germinate under greenhouse conditions. After 5 days the leaves (3-4 inches tall) were inoculated with the leaf rust fungus, Puccinia rubigo-vera tritici, by spraying with spores suspended in a light mineral oil. Plants were kept in a moist chamber for 8 hours and transferred to the greenhouse having a temperature of 75°F. Symptoms appeared after 5 days and the chemical treatments were evaluated for effectiveness by the amount of reduction of the rust infection in treated plants as compared to the untreated controls.

Results

              Table VI.______________________________________Wheat leaf rust control.Chemical       OZ/CWT       % Control______________________________________3-carboxanilido-2,4,5          3            99trimethyl furan          11/2         95______________________________________

Example 7. Wheat leaf rust control by foliar application of furan-3-carboxamides.

Procedure

Five day old Ceres wheat seedlings were inoculated with the fungus, Puccinia rubigo-vera tritici, by spraying with spores suspended in light mineral oil. Plants were kept in a moist chamber for 8 hours and transferred to the greenhouse having a temperature of 75°F.

One day after inoculation, a number of chemicals of the invention were applied to the wheat seedlings by dissolving the chemical in acetone, suspending it in water to which a wetting agent was added (Aerosol OT-B, American Cyanamid - dioctyl ester of sodium sulfo succinic acid) and spraying to runoff with a de Vilbiss sprayer delivering 1 ml/sec at 20 psi.

Rust disease symptoms appeared after 5 days and the chemical treatments were evaluated for effectiveness in disease control.

Results

              Table VII.______________________________________Wheat leaf rust control by foliar ap-plication of furan-3-carboxamides.            PPM (Active) Foliar                           %Chemical         Application    Control______________________________________3-carboxanilido-2,4,5            500            95trimethyl furan  250            502,4-dimethyl-3-  500            90carboxanilidofuran2,4,5-trimethyl-3-carbox-            200            97anilido-N-benzoyl furan            100            98______________________________________

Example 8. Evaluation of Furan-3-carboxamide derivatives for control of a systemic disease, Barley Loose Smut (Ustilago nuda).

Procedure

Chemicals of the invention were evaluated for control of the Barley Loose Smut disease by seed treatment with the chemicals. Fifty gram seed lots of barly (variety Larker) approximately 20% infected with Ustilago nuda were treated with the experimental chemicals and a standard seed treatment chemical by tumbling the seed with the prescribed amount of dry-formulated chemical. Seeds from each chemical treatment were weighed in 10 gram lots of approximately 300 seeds each, and planted in replicated field plots of 25 feet each. Counts of the numbers of smutted grain heads were made approximately 10 weeks after planting.

Results

Table VIII

Control of Barley Loose Smut by seed treatment with furan-3-carboxamide derivatives.

Type I ##SPC11##

        R'           oz/cwt   % Disease______________________________________    phenyl          6        0.24                    11/2     1.70    2-tolyl         4        0.2    3-tolyl         4        0.0                    11/2     1.0Type II  Compound    2,4-dimethyl-3- 4        0.0    carboxanilido furan                    11/2     0.04                    1        1.8    2,5-dimethyl-3-    carboxanilido furan                    6        0                    3        0______________________________________

Type III ##SPC12##

R'phenyl           1          0            1/2        0            1/4        02-tolyl          4          0            11/2       03-tolyl          4          0            11/2       03-methoxy phenyl 6          0            3          02-pyridyl        4          0.3Control (untreated)            11/2       1.6                       14.4

The chemicals of the invention have also been found to possess insecticidal and nematocidal activity. By insecticidal activity is meant activity with respect to insects, insect larvae and eggs.

Example 9. Insecticidal use of furan-3-carboxamides.

Procedure

Insecticidal activity of these chemicals was determined by adding 10 mg. of each chemical in 1 ml of acetone to 100 ml of water. Further dilutions were made from this solution using water as the diluent.

25 ml aliquots of each dosage, replicated once, were placed in test tubes and from 10 - 25 Aedes aegypti 4th instar larvae were added. The tubes were held at 70°F in darkness for 72 hours. At the end of this period the live and dead larvae were counted and percent control calculated. DDT at 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 ppm was used as a standard. Appropriate formulation controls were also used.

Evaluation for ovicidal activity was accomplished by adding 0.1 g of each chemical in 1 ml of acetone to 50 ml of distilled water to which 1 drop of an emulsifier was added. This was sprayed on the lower surface of 2 week old bean plants each of which carried at least one egg mass of the Mexican Bean bettle (Epilachna varivestes) deposited 3-5 days prior to testing. Plants were sprayed to give a thorough coverage but not to saturation. At the end of one week the percentage of unhatched eggs was estimated.

The activity of furan-3-carboxamides against the corn leaf aphid (Rhapalosiphum maidis Fitch) was also investigated. A 2000 ppm solution was prepared by adding 0.5 g of chemical in 10 ml of acetone to 250 ml of water containing 2 drops of an emulsifier, Triton X-100.

Two days prior to spraying, the barley plants used for testing were thinned to 10 plants per cup and infested with aphids by placing clipped leaves from aphid-culture pots adjacent to the test plants. The plants were sprayed on a turntable to completely wet the leaves with the spray material. The percent control was estimated based on the reduction of population density on the treated plants as compared to untreated controls.

Results

                                  Table IX.__________________________________________________________________________Insecticidal use of furan-3-carboxamides.                        % Control                Mexican Bean                        Corn Leaf  % Control     Beetle Eggs                        Aphid  Aedes aegypti % Control                        (Contact)  (Larvae)      (Ovacide)                        2000                            1000-R'    100ppm 10ppm  2000 ppm                        ppm ppm__________________________________________________________________________cyclohexyl   71    --     100     90  80decyl  100    --     100     --  --benzyl  80    --     100     --  --phenyl 100    45      50     --  --2-tolyl  100    100    --      --  --3-tolyl  100    38     --      --  --4-tolyl  100    --     100     --  --2-methoxy  100    --     --      --  --phenyl3-methoxy   82    --     --      80  --phenyl4-methoxy   98    --     --      --  --phenyl2-naphthyl   85    --     --      --  --__________________________________________________________________________                         Mexican                         Bean              % Control  Beetle Eggs              Aedes aegypti                         % Control              (Larvae)   (Ovacide)R'       -Xn       100ppm                    10ppm                         2000 ppm__________________________________________________________________________phenyl   2,4-dimethyl               98   --2-methoxy phenyl    2,4,5-trimethyl              100   454-chlorophenyl    2,4,5-trimethyl              --    --   100phenyl   2-heptadecyl-               58   --   100    4,5-dimethyl              100   --   100__________________________________________________________________________

Example 10. Nematocidal activity of furan-3-carboxamides.

Procedure

A.

contact nematocidal activity of the furan-3-carboxamides was determined by dissolving 300 mg of each compound in 10 ml of acetone and adding 3 drops of the solution to a watch glass containing 5 drops of a standardized nematode suspension (Panagrellus redivivus). Watch glasses were kept at room temperature in a moisture saturated environment to reduce evaporation of test liquids. Appropriate untreated and formulation controls were included in each test. 24 and 48 hours after treatment the watch glasses were examined microscopically and the percent kill was estimated.

              Table X(A)______________________________________Nematocidal activity of furan-3-carboxamides                  Panagrellus NematodeR'           PPM       % Control______________________________________n-butyl      1000      100cyclohexyl   1000      90benzyl       1000      100phenyl       1000      1002-tolyl      1000      804-tolyl      1000      952-methoxy    1000      98phenyl4-methoxy phenyl        1000      902-methyl, N- 1000      97methyl furan-3-carbox-anilido______________________________________

B.

the efficiency of furan-3-carboxamides in controlling soil-borne root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne sp.) was examined by adding the chemical to the soil which is infested with a given proportion of nematode infested soil. Application rates of 60, 120 and 240 pounds per acre were used.

Dry treatments were accomplished by mixing the appropriate amount of chemical with 1/4 pound of sand, adding this to 1/2 pound of soil and tumbling the mixture in a blender for 5 minutes.

Soil was placed in 12 ounce containers and kept in a greenhouse environment for 1 week after treatment. Cucumber seeds were then planted and roots of the plants were examined after 2 weeks and notes were made on the number of root knots in treated soil compared to the untreated soil.

Liquid treatments were done by mixing the appropriate amount of chemical in 2-4 ml of acetone, with 25 ml of distilled water containing one drop of Triton X-100. The liquid was then added gradually to 3/4 pound of the soil preparation and mixed with a suitable garden tool. The soil was placed in 12 ounce cups and the test was carried out as described above.

              Table X(B)______________________________________Percent control of cucumber root knot disease byfuran-3-carboxamides.R'              lbs. active/acre                         % control______________________________________2-methyl carboxanilido           125           302-methoxy carboxanilido           250           254-methoxy carboxanilido           250           70N-methyl carboxanilido           250           85N-methyl carboxanilido           125           25N,N-diethyl carboxamido           250           80N-isopropyl carboxamido           250           80N-morpholino carbonyl           250           80carbethoxy      250           402-methyl-4,5-diphenyl           250           303-carboxanilido furan______________________________________

In light of all the data herein, it is evident that a truly broad class of chemicals has been found to possess broad fungicidal properties. Thus the chemicals of the invention have been shown to be effective against systemic as well as non-systemic pathogens, and it has further been demonstrated that these chemicals can be applied via soil, seed, seedling or foliar treatments. When introduced into the soil, the chemicals can simply be admixed therewith. When foliar application is contemplated, any obvious and well-known expedient by which spraying is accomplished is acceptable, e.g., the active chemical is incorporated into any standard carrier solution employing common diluent together with a wetting agent so that the surface of the foliage is adequately wetted by the solution.

It has also been shown that the furan chemicals of the invention are effective as insecticidal and nematocidal agents. Their use as such, as in the case of their fungicidal use, is made possible by any of the well-known expedients for applying the chemicals to locations where insect or nematode activity is known or expected.

Furthermore, it should be evident to those in the art that any number of the disclosed compounds can be admixed with each other, or other fungicides, insecticides or nematocides to yield effective and active compositions. All such variations are considered as within the scope of the appended claims.