UK Chemists Synthesize the Natural Insecticide Azadirachtin

Steven Ley and his group at the University of Cambridge, UK, succeeded in making a synthetic version of the natural insecticide azadiracthin, after 22 years of efforts. Azadirachtin is an environmentally friendly insecticide which was isolated from the Indian neem tree in 1968. It is biodegradable and not toxic to humans. Azadirachtin works by disrupting the growth cycles of insects and detering them from feeding on plants.

Although the insecticide can be easily isolated from the neem seeds, synthetic compounds can be used for detailed studies. Currently, the group of Ley has started studies to further understand the biology of the compounds with the aim of making simpler, more effective analogues with reduced sensitivity towards light, acids and bases. They have also identified a protein in insects that binds to azadirachtin.

The full synthesis appears in the journal Angewandte Chemie (G. E. Veitch et al. ). The news article can be viewed at http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v448/n7154/full/448630a.html