ABSTRACT
The metabolic processes usually involve phosphorus esters with alkoxy groups although, in some cases, the metabolic processes may extend to the carbon-phosphorus (C–P) bond of the phosphonates. In the phosphonate class of organic derivatives of phosphorus, the C–P bond may be responsible for inhibiting metabolic activity. The utilization of phosphonates as insecticides requires diesters of alkyl, aryl, or mixed alkyl/aryl phosphonates. This chapter presents the information on the synthetic phosphonate antibiotics, which in a broad sense may be categorized as pesticides, and herbicides. The efficacy with which an organophosphonate insecticide acts is related to several factors, including chemical reactivity, metabolic characteristics, ability to penetrate cuticular and membrane barriers, and ability to be transported to and inhibit the target enzyme, acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The metabolic process may be the hydrolysis of an ester with a consequent increase in the hydrophilic nature of the phosphonate. The diesters of phosphonates are analogous to the phosphate triesters in structure and biological effect.
