The importance of trifluoromethyl pyridines in crop protection.

The pyridine ring, substituted by a trifluoromethyl substituent has been successfully incorporated into molecules with useful biological properties. During the period 1990 to September 2017, 14 crop protection products bearing a trifluoromethyl pyridine have been commercialized or proposed for an ISO common name, covering fungicides, herbicides, insecticides and nematicides. Chemical processes have been developed to provide trifluoromethyl pyridine intermediates, from non-fluorinated pyridine starting materials, at scale and with affordable costs of goods.