Natural products-based insecticidal agents 11. Synthesis and insecticidal activity of novel 4α-arylsulfonyloxybenzyloxy-2β-chloropodophyllotoxin derivatives against Mythimna separata Walker in vivo

In continuation of our program aimed at the discovery and development of natural products-based insecticidal agents, 14 novel 4 alpha-arylsulfonyloxybenzyloxy-2 beta-chloropodophyllotoxin derivatives were stereoselectively semisynthesized from podophyllotoxin, and preliminarily evaluated for their insecticidal activity against the pre-third-instar larvae of Mythimna separata Walker in vivo. Especially compounds 9c' and 9g' exhibited the most promising and pronounced insecticidal activity than toosendanin, a commercial insecticide derived from Melia azedarach at 1 mg/mL. Generally, it was preliminarily demonstrated that arylsulfonyloxy groups at the C-2 position of benzyloxy moiety and the length of the side chain on the benzenesulfonyloxy group of 4 alpha-arylsulfonyloxybenzyloxy-2 beta-chloropodophyllotoxins might be important for the insecticidal activity. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.