AE C656948 is hydrolytically stable under acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions. No major degradation products were detected at pH 4, pH 7 and pH 9. One unidentified minor degradation product was detected with a maximum of 1.6 and 1.2 % of applied amount at pH 7 and pH 9, respectively. Another degradation product was detected at pH 9 with a maximum of 0.5 % of applied amount. No half-life could be calculated as the test compound was stable to hydrolysis at all pH conditions. The primary metabolic pathway of AE C656948 in soil is hydroxylation in the 7-position of the molecule to form the hydroxylated metabolite, AE C656948-7-hydroxy. AE C656948-7-hydroxy has been identified in all soils tested with a maximum of 3.3 % (pyridyl label) to 4.2 % AR (phenyl label). AE C656948-7-hydroxy in turn is cleaved to form the metabolite pyridyl-carboxylic acid (max. 0.7 % AR) containing the pyridine ring and benzamide (max. 1.1 % AR) containing the phenyl ring. While the pyridyl-carboxylic acid (PCA) was metabolised to methyl-sulfoxide (max. 1.0 % AR), no metabolites other than benzamide have been detected from the phenyl ring. Microbial breakdown of this ring leads to the formation of carbon dioxide. No major transformation products were detected in any of the soils under aerobic conditions. The following minor products were identified: AE C656948-7-hydroxy (max. 4.2 % AR); AE C656948- pyridyl-carboxylic acid (max. 0.7 % AR); AE C656948-methyl-sulfoxide (max. 1.0 % AR) and AE C656948-benzamide (1.1 % AR).