THE COMPARATIVE TOXICITY OF PHOSPHORAMIDOTHIONATES AND PHOSPHORAMIDATES TO SUSCEPTIBLE AND INSECTICIDE-RESISTANT HOUSEFLIES AND MOSQUITOS.

Studies of the comparative toxicity of a number of homologous X-chlorophenyl phosphoramidothionates and phosphoramidates and related analogues to susceptible and insecticide-resistant houseflies (Musca domestica L.) and mosquitos (Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say and Anopheles albimanus Wied.) have shown that the 2,4,5-trichlorophenyl series is the most active and the 4-chlorophenyl series the least active. Toxicity decreases in general with increasing chain length of the alkoxy and alkylamido moieties, maximum toxicity residing in methoxy, ethoxy, amido, methylamido, and ethylamido homologues. Toxicity is greatest to the susceptible strain but the alkylamido and X-chlorophenyl structures confer toxicological advantages from the standpoint of relative effectiveness against organophosphorus-resistance and organophosphorus vigour-tolerance. Many of the phosphoramidates are less toxic than their phosphoramidothionate analogues, probably due to less favourable physical properties.Certain of these compounds show promise against both susceptible and insecticide-resistant housefly adults and it is suggested that they be further evaluated in broad-spectrum field trials. Although some show promise as mosquito larvicides, in general the introduction of an alkyl-amido group markedly decreases residual toxicity from a filter-paper residue to mosquito adults in comparison with the corresponding dialkoxy analogues.