Precursor compounds for molecular coatings

1. A method of protecting harvested produce, comprising:

providing a mixture comprising a composition in a solvent, the composition comprising one or more fatty acids, one or more compounds of Formula II:

and

one or more compounds of Formula I:

wherein, for both Formula I and Formula II:

each R a is independently —H or —C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

each R b is independently selected from —H, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or —OH;

R 1 , R 2 , R 5 , R 6 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 and R 13 are each independently, at each occurrence, —H, —OR 14 , —NR 14 R 15 , —SR 14 , halogen, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, —C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl is optionally substituted with one or more —OR 14 , —NR 14 R 15 , —SR 14 , or halogen;

R 3 , R 4 , R 7 , and R 8 are each independently, at each occurrence, —H, —OR 14 , —NR 14 R 15 , —SR 14 , halogen, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, —C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl is optionally substituted with one or more —OR 14 , —NR 14 R 15 , —SR 14 , or halogen; or

R 3 and R 4 can combine with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, a C 4 -C 6 cycloalkenyl, or 3- to 6-membered ring heterocycle; and/or

R 7 and R 8 can combine with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, a C 4 -C 6 cycloalkenyl, or 3- to 6-membered ring heterocycle;

R 14 and R 15 are each independently, at each occurrence, —H, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, or —C 2 -C 6 alkynyl;

the symbol represents a single bond or a cis or trans double bond;

n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8;

m is 0, 1, 2 or 3;

q is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; and

r is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8;

applying the mixture to a surface of the harvested produce; and

forming a coating over the produce.

2. A method of protecting harvested produce, comprising:

providing a mixture comprising a composition in a solvent, the composition comprising one or more fatty acids, one or more compounds of Formula II:

one or more compounds of Formula I:

wherein the composition comprises at least 90% by mass of the one or more fatty acids, the one or more compounds of Formula II, and the one or more compounds of Formula I, and for both Formula I and Formula II:

each R a is independently —H or —C 1 -C 6 alkyl;

each R b is independently selected from —H, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or —OH;

R 1 , R 2 , R 5 , R 6 , R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12 and R 13 are each independently, at each occurrence, —H, —OR 14 , —NR 14 R 15 , —SR 14 , halogen, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, —C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl is optionally substituted with one or more —OR 14 , —NR 14 R 15 , —SR 14 , or halogen;

R 3 , R 4 , R 7 , and R 8 are each independently, at each occurrence, —H, —OR 14 , —NR 14 R 15 , —SR 14 , halogen, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkynyl, —C 3 -C 7 cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl wherein each alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl is optionally substituted with one or more —OR 14 , —NR 14 R 15 , —SR 14 , or halogen; or

R 3 and R 4 can combine with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, a C 4 -C 6 cycloalkenyl, or 3- to 6-membered ring heterocycle; and/or

R 7 and R 8 can combine with the carbon atoms to which they are attached to form a C 3 -C 6 cycloalkyl, a C 4 -C 6 cycloalkenyl, or 3- to 6-membered ring heterocycle;

R 14 and R 15 are each independently, at each occurrence, —H, —C 1 -C 6 alkyl, —C 2 -C 6 alkenyl, or —C 2 -C 6 alkynyl;

the symbol represents a single bond or a cis or trans double bond;

n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8;

m is 0, 1, 2 or 3;

q is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; and

r is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8;

applying the mixture to a surface of the harvested produce; and

forming a coating over the produce.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fatty acids has a carbon chain length of 4 to 24.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fatty acids has a carbon chain length of 12 to 22.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fatty acids comprise a saturated fatty acid.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fatty acids comprise an unsaturated fatty acid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises one or more organic salts.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a mass ratio of the one or more fatty acids to a total amount of the one or more compounds of Formula II and the one or more compounds of Formula I is about 0.1 to about 1.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a mass ratio of the one or more fatty acids to a total amount of the one or more compounds of Formula II and the one or more compounds of Formula I is about 0.2 to about 2.4.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fatty acids has a carbon chain length that is different from a carbon chain length of one or more of the compounds of Formula II and Formula I.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fatty acids has a carbon chain length that is the same as a carbon chain length of one or more of the compounds of Formula II and Formula I.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating has a thickness of about 0.05 microns to about 3 microns.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating reduces a rate of mass loss of the harvested produce by at least 10%.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises water, ethanol, or both.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the solvent comprises at least 25% water by volume.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the composition in the solvent is at least about 0.5 mg/mL.