Synthesis and insecticidal activity of new amide derivatives of piperine

The natural lipophilic amides piperine and piperiline were isolated from Pi per nigrum L (Piperaceae). Piperine was hydrolysed into piperic acid (85% y ield) which was converted into 15 amides (28-89% yield). The contact toxici ty of all synthetic amides, and also that of piperine and piperiline, at th e dose 10 mu g per insect, was evaluated for the Brazilian economically imp ortant insects Ascia monuste orseis Latr, Acanthoscelides obtectus Say, Bre vicoryne brassicae L, Protopolybia exigua DeSaus and Cornitermes cumulans K ollar. The results demontrated that the insects have different sensivities to the various amides, with mortality ranging from 0 to 97.5% according to the compound and insect species. (C) 2000 Society of Chemical Industry.