Quantitative structure activity relationship in diphenyl ureas for insect growth regulating activity

Insect growth regulating (IGR) activity of 29 diphenyl urea compounds was determined against the filariasis vector, Culex quinquefasciatus. The variations in the activity of these compounds were analysed with the physicochemical substituent parameters and regression analysis. Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) studies revealed that the IGR activity was influenced by lipophilicity, electron withdrawing effect of the substituents on the aniline moiety, the steric effect of the substituents in the acidic moiety and the position of substitution. This diphenyl ureas for IGR activity seem to offer a successful model for the application of QSAR method in the development of new vector control agents.