Synthesis and structure–activity study of botanical aphicides 1,5-diphenyl-1-pentanone analogues

1,5-Diphenyl-1-pentanone (A) and 1,5-diphenyl-2-penten-1-one (B) are natural products extracted from Stellera chamaejasme. Laboratory bioassay revealed the two compounds showed strong insecticidal activity against Aphis gossypii Glov.The two compounds may represent a novel class of aphicides due to their shared distinctive structure of 1,5-diphenyl-1-pentanone. In the present study, 1,5-diphenyl-1-pentanone analogues were synthesized in an effort to examine their structure activity. Insecticidal activities of these compounds against A. gossypii Glov. were also evaluated.