ABSTRACT

Organophosphorus compounds yield a variety of biological effects. Although the great majority of organophosphorus pesticides are employed as insecticides, their uses are not limited to this application, but have been extended to use as acaricides, anthelmintics, nematocides, chemosterilants, and rodenticides. A variety of neutral esters or amides derived from phosphorus oxyacids, including the thio analogs and the anhydrides too, are utilized for insecticides. They are principally contact poisons, but some compounds are useful as gut poisons and fumigants too. The majority of commercialized phosphate type insecticides are vinyl ester derivatives which generally have an electron withdrawing group such as halogens and a carboxylic ester or amide group on the ¡í-position. Many related compounds have been introduced as commercial or experimental insecticides. The calcium salt of the desmethyl dichlorvos makes a complex compound with two moles of dichlorvos and the complex is utilized as an insecticide under the name calvinphos in Japan.