Pyrethroid insecticides. Chapter I. Synthesis, structure, biochemistry and biosynthesis of pyrethroids

Abstract

The isolation and structure determination of the natural pyrethrins, powerful natural insecticides from the flower-head of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium, a plant that originates from Dalmatia and Persia, was followed by extensive research work aimed to determine their biosynthetic pathway and, and to discover analogues, the pyrethroids, harmless to mammals, but adapted to fight insects in contextual conditions (indoor, outdoor, soil) and able to be commercialized at affordable cost.