2-pyridinylcycloalkylcarboxamide derivatives useful as fungicides

1. A compound of general formula (I):

in which:

n is 1, 2, or 3;

R a is a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms;

each substituent X is chosen, independently of the others, as being a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl or a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl;

A is a 3-, 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-membered non aromatic carbocycle;

R 1 and R 2 are chosen, independently of each other, as being a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a hydroxy group, an amino group, a sulfanyl group, a formyl group, a formyloxy group, a formylamino group, a carboxy group, a carbamoyl group, a N-hydroxycarbamoyl group, a carbamate group, a (hydroxyimino)-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfanyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulfanyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyloxy, a C 2 -C 6 -halogenoalkenyloxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 6 -alkynyloxy, a C 3 -C 6 -halogenoalkynyloxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 6 -cycloalkyl, a C 3 -C 6 -halogenocycloalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylcarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbamoyl, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbamoyl, a (N—C 1 -C 6 -alkyl)oxycarbamoyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbamoyl, a (N—C 1 -C 6 -alkyl)-C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbamoyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxycarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylcarbonyloxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonylamino, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylcarbonylamino having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylaminocarbonyloxy, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylaminocarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyloxycarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphenyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphenyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphinyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphinyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulphonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulphonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a benzyl, a benzyloxy, a benzylsulfanyl, a benzylsulfinyl, a benzylsulfonyl, a benzylamino, a phenoxy, a phenylsulfanyl, a phenylsulfinyl, a phenylsulfonyl, a phenylamino, a phenylcarbonylamino, a 2,6 dichlorophenyl-carbonylamino group or a phenyl group,

R 3 is chosen as being a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, a formyl group, a hydroxy group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 6 -halogenocycloalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -cyanoalkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -aminoalkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenalkylcarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyloxycarbonyl, a C 3 -C 7 -cycloalkyl, a C 3 -C 7 -halogenocycloalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 7 -cycloalkyl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -benzyloxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfonyl or a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulfonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms; and

Het represents an optionally substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered non-fused heterocycle with one, two or three heteroatoms which may be the same or different, Het being linked by a carbon atom;

as well as its salts and optically active isomers.

2. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that n is 1 or 2.

3. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that X is a halogen atom.

4. A compound according to claim 3 , characterised in that X is chlorine.

5. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that R a is —CF 3 .

6. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that the 2-pyridyl is substituted in 3- and/or in 5-position.

7. A compound according to claim 6 , characterised in that the 2-pyridyl is substituted in 3-position by X and in 5-position by R a .

8. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that the 2-pyridyl is substituted in 3-position by —Cl and in 5-position by —CF 3 .

9. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that A is chosen from cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl and cycloheptyl.

10. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that R 1 and R 2 are chosen, independently of each other, as being a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a hydroxy group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfanyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfenyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfinyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonylamino, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonyloxy, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxycarbonylamino or a phenyl group.

11. A compound according to claim 10 , characterised in that R 1 and R 2 are both a hydrogen atom.

12. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that R 3 is chosen as being a hydrogen atom or a C 3 -C 7 -cycloalkyl.

13. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that Het is substituted in ortho position.

14. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that Het is a five membered ring heterocycle.

15. A compound according to claim 1 , characterised in that Het is a six membered ring heterocycle.

16. A process for the preparation of a compound of general formula (I) as defined in claim 1 , which comprises reacting a 2-pyridine derivative of general formula (II) or one of its salt:

with a carboxylic acid derivative of the general formula (III)

in which:

L 1 is a leaving group chosen as being a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, —OR 75 , —OCOR 75 , R 75 being a C 1 -C 6 alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 haloalkyl, a benzyl, 4-methoxybenzyl, pentafluorophenyl or a group of formula

in the presence of a catalyst and, if L 1 is a hydroxyl group, in the presence of a condensing agent,

wherein R 3 is a hydrogen atom and that the process is completed by a further step according to the following reaction scheme:

in which:

R 3a is chosen as being a cyano group, a formyl group, a hydroxy group, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 halogenoalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkoxy having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 6 -halogenocycloalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 2 -C 6 -alkenyl, a C 2 -C 6 -alkynyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -cyanoalkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -aminoalkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a di-C 1 -C 6 -alkylamino-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 - alkylcarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -halogenalkylcarbonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 1 -C 6 -alkyloxycarbonyl, a C 3 -C 7 -cycloalkyl, a C 3 -C 7 -halogenocycloalkyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms, a C 3 -C 7 -cycloalkyl-C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, a C 1 -C 6 -benzyloxycarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 6 -alkylcarbonyl, a C 1 -C 6 -alkylsulfonyl or a C 1 -C 6 -halogenoalkylsulfonyl having 1 to 5 halogen atoms; and

L 2 is a leaving group chosen as being a halogen atom, a 4-methyl phenylsulfonyloxy or a methylsulfonyloxy;

comprising the reaction of a compound of general formula (Ia) with a compound of general formula (XXII) to provide a compound of general formula (I).

17. A fungicidal composition comprising an effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 and an agriculturally acceptable support.

18. A method for preventively or curatively combating the phytopathogenic fungi of crops, characterised in that an effective and non-phytotoxic amount of a composition according to claim 17 is applied to the plant seeds or to the plant leaves and/or to the fruits of the plants or to the soil in which the plants are growing or in which it is desired to grow them.