Identification of photoproducts from imazosulfuron by HPLC.

Photolysis of imazosulfuron was studied in aqueous solution under UV light. The reaction followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic with significant correlation coefficient. The major photodegradation products of imazosulfuron after irradiation under UV light were separated and tentatively identified by HPLC-MS analysis as (4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine-2-yl)aminocarbonylsulfamic acid, 4,6-dimethoxy-2-ureidopyrimidine and 2,2'-dichloro-[3,3'] bi [imidazo[1,2-a] pyridinyl]. The results indicate that different reaction pathways are followed: (1) cleavage of the sulfonylurea bridge; (2) desulfonylation, which can proceed either by a carbon-sulfur cleavage or a nitrogen-sulfur cleavage. A mechanism for the formation of the photoproducts is proposed.