Degradation of acylanilide pesticides by Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus niger converts the herbicide 3′-chloro-2-methyl-p-valerotoluidide (solan) to 3′-chloro-4′-methylacetanilide and the fungicide 2,5-dimethylfuran-3-carboxanilide to acetanilide. The metabolites were formed by hydrolysis with an aryl acylamidase, followed by subsequent acetylation resulting in the corresponding acetanilides. Their structures were elucidated by mass spectrometric analysis and confirmed by comparison with synthetic compounds.