Termiticidal activity of wood vinegar, its components and their homologues

Abstract

The termiticidal activity of wood vinegar, its components, and their homologues have been studied. Three kinds of wood vinegar made from the mixed chips of Cryptomeria japonica and Pseudotsga menziesii (wood vinegar A), Quercus serrata (wood vinegar B), and Pinus densiflora (wood vinegar C) exhibited high termiticidal activities against Reticulitermes speratus. Acetic acid, which is the largest content of wood vinegar, exhibited high termiticidal acitivity. The contents of organic fraction of wood vinegars and acetic acid might be responsible for the differences in termiticidal activities among these wood vinegars. The structure and termiticidal activity relations of phenols were studied. Phenol with some substituents revealed higher termiticidal activity than benzene derivatives, which have no hydroxyl group; an ortho substituent of phenol plays an important role in termiticidal activity. It has become apparent that high termiticidal activity cannot be obtained by a phenolic hydroxyl group alone; it can be obtained, however, by some substituents, especially an ortho substituent in addition to a phenolic hydroxyl group. The bulkiness of the substituent at the ortho position participates in termiticidal activity; activity decreases as the size of an ortho substituent increases. It is thought that the interaction at the receptor site of termites is affected by the increased size of the ortho substituent.