Pursuing Green and Efficient Agriculture from Molecular Assembly: A Review of Solid-State Forms on Agrochemicals

Abstract

Achieving rapid global agricultural development while maintaining ecological harmony is a major challenge of the new millennium. Meeting this challenge requires the development of efficient and environmentally friendly agrochemicals, including pesticides and fertilizers. Molecular assembly, as a promising strategy, has garnered significant attention in recent years for the development of advanced solid-state forms of agrochemicals. In this review, we present the potential and recent advancements of solid-state forms, such as polymorphs, cocrystals/salts, solvates, inclusion compounds, and the amorphous state, for the production of high-efficiency and low-polluting agrochemical products. We provide an overview of the concepts and preparation methods of these solid-state forms, followed by an exploration of their applications in sustainable agriculture. Specifically, we highlight their value in enhancing pesticide solubility, enabling controlled release of chemical fertilizers, and reducing off-target risks. Lastly, we discuss the challenges and prospects associated with the utilization of solid-state forms for the advancement of environmentally friendly and efficient agriculture.

Structural Elucidation and Release Enhancement of the Florfenicol/β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex

“…This encapsulation significantly enhances the solubility of the guest molecules. , The naturally occurring CDs are α-CD, β-CD, and γ-CD, and they are classified based on their number of glucose units, which are 6, 7, and 8 respectively . Among them, β-CD is widely employed in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, and agriculture, due to its suitably sized cavity and affordability. − Our literature review reveals that, to date, no study has achieved the formation of an FLO/β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex. Moreover, there is a conspicuous lack of single-crystal structural data for FLO inclusion complexes.…”

“…Florfenicol (FLO, Figure ), a synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic, plays a crucial role in veterinary medicine, particularly in the treatment of bacterial infections prevalent in aquaculture and livestock. − Despite its clinical importance, a significant challenge that undermines its efficacy is its notably poor water solubility (1.1 mg/mL at 25 °C) . This inherent characteristic hampers effective systemic distribution, complicating the achievement of desired therapeutic concentrations, especially in aquatic environments where its use is most critical .…”

Structural Landscape of α-Acetamidocinnamic Acid Cocrystals with Bipyridine-Based Coformers: Influence of Crystal Packing on Their Thermal and Photophysical Properties

“…The cocrystallization of relevant molecules with carefully selected complementary coformers has become an interesting route for the development of new materials with improved applications in the fields of pharmaceuticals, , energetics, , and photophysics, , among others. , Researchers initially focused on the discovery of reliable associations between functional groups, denoted as supramolecular synthons, from which the field has been growing, allowing the recent formation of more sophisticated cocrystals including ternary, , quaternary, , or even cocrystals with higher complexity , prepared using different strategies including, inter alia, graded synthon hierarchies, , shape and size mimicry, , or cooperativity and anticooperativity approaches. , …”

Temperature-Responsive Cocrystal Engineering for Efficacious Delivery of Poorly Water-Soluble Herbicide

“…Drawing on the widespread use of cocrystal engineering strategies in pharmacy to modulate active components, this important problem in agriculture may be addressed. , Different from traditional organic chemical synthesis, where the breaking and formation of chemical bonds between atoms or molecules plays a key role in the design of new compounds, the building blocks of cocrystal engineering are in a stoichiometric ratio through noncovalent intermolecular interactions, bonded in the unit cell . At present, cocrystal engineering is widely used in many fields such as pharmaceuticals, , functional materials, , energetic materials, , and chiral resolution, , and its application in agriculture is also developing rapidly. , For example, the limited applications of essential oils have been extended by using cocrystal engineering due to high volatility and scarce water solubility, , and can be further extended to food preservatives and paper biodeteriogens. , Our previous work also achieved sustained release and reduced leaching of highly water-soluble herbicide metamitron through cocrystal engineering, confirming its great potential in the development of environmentally friendly agrochemicals …”