Thiocarbamate Sulfoxides: Potent, Selective, and Biodegradable Herbicides

Sulfoxidation of thiocarbamates yields a new class of chemicals having increased herbicidal activity along with greater tolerance of corn and soybeans in greenhouse tests. However, their thermal stability is not favorable. These sulfoxides are intermediates in the mammalian metabolism of thiocarbamates, being formed by liver microsomal oxidases and cleaved in a system consisting of glutathione and a soluble enzyme from liver.