Abstract
More than 20 % of about 300 active ingredients of pesticides registered in Japan are phosphorus compounds. Although they are mainly insecticides including acaricides, organophosphorus fungicides and herbicides have recently been developed. Moreover, nematicides, rodenticides, plant growth regulators, insect chemosterilants, and insecticide synergists are also known. Majority of organophosphorus pesticides are P (V) oxyacid derivatives, carrying a phosphoryl or thiophosphoryl group. Phosphonium salts and trivalent phosphorus compounds are rather rare as pesticides. The role of phosphorus moiety in pesticides is 1) the principal in phosphorylation, 2) a leaving group in alkylation, 3) a carrier for other active moiety, and 4) an analogous group for the carboxyl group. In order to display a certain pesticidal activity, the compound should have a structure suitable for selectivity or affinity to the target organism and biomacromolecule.
