Cycloprothrin

The Uses of Cycloprothrin

Cycloprothrin is used to control rice water weevils and other insects in paddy rice, fruit, vegetables, tea, cotton, soyabeans and in forestry.

Definition

ChEBI: A carboxylic ester having 2,2-dichloro-1-phenylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid as the acid component and hydroxy(3-phenoxyphenyl)acetonitrile as the alcohol component.

General Description

Cycloprothrin is an insecticide, used for controlling insect pests on rice plants and vegetables.

Metabolic pathway

The structure of the acid moiety of cycloprothrin is rather unusual and thus deserves special attention. The compound has two chiral centres and therefore is a mixture of four stereoisomers; it is used as such. Degradation and metabolism studies have been reported for flooded soil, rice plants and rat. The results show that cycloprothrin is degraded by oxidation, hydrolysis and conjugation reactions as are other members of the class. However, metabolism in rice is very slow.

Degradation

Cycloprothrin is a stable compound but it is hydrolysed under alkaline conditions. It is relatively stable to photodegradation.