Effective Electrochemical Synthesis of an Important Fungicide Tetramethylthiuram Disulfide and Its Bioactive Analogues

Tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD, thiram) is one ofthe mostimportant fungicides and is widely used in agriculture for seed treatmentand crop protection. TMTD is produced by a number of plants. Its annualsales are estimated at tens of millions of US dollars. Traditionalchemical synthesis of thiram is accompanied by the formation of asignificant amount of waste, including inorganic salts, thioacids,polysulfides, etc. Herein, we report an advanced method of TMTD andits structural analogues production, which is based on the usage ofelectric current as a key participant. Such an electrochemical approachavoids application of the chemical oxidant required for previous processesand can be efficiently scaled up. All of these characteristics makethe developed synthetic method quite promising both economically andecologically.

Automated summary

TMTD is a crucial fungicide widely used in agriculture. An advanced method of TMTD production is reported, which utilizes electric current and eliminates the need for chemical oxidant, reducing waste and making it economically and ecologically promising.