Novel Anthranilic Diamide Insecticides: Design, Synthesis, and Insecticidal Evaluation

Three series of new anthranilic diamide derivatives containing sulfide, N-cyanomethylsulfilimine, and N-cyanomethylsulfoximine groups were designed and synthesized by coupling the active substructures of anthranilic diamides and sulfoxaflor. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, H-1 and C-13 NMR, and elemental analysis. Several unique structural characteristics were revealed via the crystal structure analysis of compound N-(2-(2-methyl-2-(methylthio)propylcarbamoyl)-4-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-3-bromo-1-(3-chloropyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide 16e. Bioassay results indicated that most of the synthesized compounds showed superior insecticidal activities against Mythimna separata and Plutella xylostella when compared with the positive control cyantraniliprole. In particular, N-(2-(2-methyl-2-(N-cyanomethylsulfideimino)propylcarbamoyl)-4-chloro-6-methylphenyl)-3-bromo-1-(3-chloropyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide 17e showed excellent insecticidal activity against Mythimna separata, with a mortality rate of 100% at a concentration of 1 mu gmL(-1). These results indicated that sulfide, N-cyanomethylsulfilimine, and N-cyanomethylsulfoximine moieties, as important active substructures, could improve or maintain the activity of the anthranilic diamide and promote novel pesticide development.