Uses of Deltamethrin

Deltamethrin is a potent broad-spectrum insecticide used in a range of agricultural, public health, and domestic applications. Deltamethrin is available as a powder, emulsion, thermal fogging concentrate, or concentrate for ultralow volume application. Deltamethrin is widely used particularly in domestic settings to control mosquitoes. However, many insect populations have begun to develop resistance. Technical deltamethrin is the single most active isomer (1R, cis, alpha-S).

Uses

Deltamethrin is a highly effective insecticide. It is used, among other applications, for the production of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), which, along with indoor residual spraying (IRS), are the main vector control strategies recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the management of malaria.

Environmental Fate

Deltamethrin is twofold more persistent in aquatic environments than in soil. Depending on conditions the environmental half-life ranges from 2 days (for hydrolysis at pH 9) to 80 days (for degradation in an aquatic environment).

Mechanism

Deltamethrin is a type II pyrethroid, a functional neurotoxin slowing the inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels leading to a state of hyperexcitability which in turn causes fine tremor, salivation, and choreoathetosis. Other proposed contributory actions include antagonism of gammaaminobutyric acid A receptor inhibition and voltage-gated chloride and calcium channels.

Production

Deltamethrin is a pyrethroid composed of a single stereoisomer, of a possible 8 stereoisomers, selectively prepared by the esterification of (1R,3R)- or cis-2,2-dimethyl-3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid with (alpha,S)- or (+)-alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol or by selective recrystallization of the racemic esters obtained by esterification of the (1R,3R)- or cis-acid with the racemic or (alpha-R, alpha-S, or alpha-R/S)- or + or − alcohol.