LAUSR

BACKGROUND Insects of the order Lepidoptera are among the most destructive global pests causing billions of dollars in damage annually. A new class of N-arylpyrazole-4-methylpiperidines with potent activity on lepidopteran species has been discovered. RESULTS Compound 1 was identified in a high throughput insecticide screen to possess modest activity on the lepidopteran insect Plutella xylostella. Optimization of 1 to compound 42 resulted in a compound with excellent activity on Spodoptera exigua, Spodoptera frugiperda, and Helicoverpa zea with LC50 values of 2.8, 1.4, and 12.5 ppm respectively. While the mode of action remains unknown these compounds do not appear to work by many of the known biochemical mechanisms of insect control. CONCLUSION The N-arylpyrazole-4-methylpiperidines represent a new class of insecticides with excellent activity on a broad spectrum of lepidopteran pests. Studies to date indicate the potential for a novel mode of action, however, the target site is at present unknown. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.