Binding of azole fungicides related to diclobutrazol to cytochrome P-450

Fungicides containing the imidazole and triazole groups are known to block the 14α-demethylation reaction in ergosterol biosynthesis, which is a cytochrome P-450 enzyme system. Fungicides related to diclobutrazol [(2RS, 3RS)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pentan-3-ol] bind to cytochrome P-450 in rat liver microsomes, whole yeast cells, yeast microsomes and to a partially purified cytochrome P-450 from yeast, with Type II spectral changes. The most fungicidally active isomer (2R, 3R) shows greater binding than the less active (2S, 3S)-enantiomer to yeast microsomes; when the cytochrome P-450 was purified, a preparation was obtained to which binding more closely matched the fungicidal activity. Binding to rat liver microsomes does not reflect the fungicidal activity of the compounds.