Biomass-Derived, Target Specific, and Ecologically Safer Insecticide Active Ingredients

With the continuous increase in food production to support the growing population, ensuring agricultural sustainability using crop-protecting agents, such as pesticides, is vital. Conventional pesticides pose significant environmental risks, prompting the need for eco-friendly alternatives. This study reports the synthesis of new amide-based insecticidal active ingredients from biomass-derived monomers, specifically furfural and vanillin. The process involves reductive amination followed by carbonylation. The synthesis of the furfural-based carbamate yield reaches a cumulative 88 %, with catalysts Rh/Al₂O₃ and La(OTf)₃ being recyclable at each stage. Insecticidal activity assessments reveal that the furfural carbamate exhibits competitive performance, achieving an LC₅₀ of 254.22 μg/cm², compared to 251.25 μg/cm² for carbofuran. Ecotoxicity predictions indicate significantly lower toxicity levels toward non-target aquatic and terrestrial species. The importance of the low octanol-water partition coefficient of the biobased carbamate, attributed to the oxygen heteroatom and electron density of the furan ring, is discussed in detail. Building on these promising results, the synthesis strategy was extended to six other biobased aldehydes, resulting in a diverse portfolio of biomass-derived carbamates. A techno-economic analysis reveals a minimum selling price of 11.1 $/kg, only half that of comparable carbamates, demonstrating the economic viability of these new biobased insecticides.