Polyethers with 8-Hydroxy-54-Quinolinyl Chelating End-Groups: Effect on Iron Nutrition of Plants and Antibacterial/Antimycotic Effects

The effect of Fe3+ chelates of polyethers having terminal 8-quinolinol (8Q) residues linked to the polymer chain at different ring positions on the remedy of iron-deficient maize plants was studied. It was found that Fe3+ chelates of polymers with 8Q groups attached at the 5-position (HOQ-P-QOH) were the most effective. Decreasing the temperature and photosynthetic photon flux density caused a four-fold retardation in the remedy of iron-deficient plants. The results are explained in terms of the stability of the Fe3+ complexes. The microbiological tests showed that the polyethers were active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. HOQ-P-QOH also exhibited antimycotic activity.