Substituted diphenyl-3-formazancarbonitrile insecticides

A method of controlling insects which consists essentially of applying to the locus of infestation, to the area to be protected, or to the insects themselves, an insecticidally effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR19## wherein:
• X is trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethylthio, pentafluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethylthio, pentafluorothio, cyano, trifluoromethyl, chlorine, bromine, fluorine or nitro;
• Y is hydrogen, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethylthio, pentafluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethylthio, pentafluorothio, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl, or alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.1 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.2 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl or nitro;
• Z is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or fluorine, and
• Q is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or fluorine, provided
• 1. when Y is alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms, X is trifluoromethyl;
• 2. when X is 4-chloro, 4-bromo or 4-fluoro and R.sub.1, Q, and three of R.sub.2, Z, Y and R.sub.3 are hydrogen, then the remainder of R.sub.2, Z, Y and R.sub.3 must be other then 4-chloro, 4-bromo or 4-fluoro;
• 3. when X is nitro, R.sub.3 is other than hydrogen;
• and
• 4. when X is halogen, at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, Q, Y and Z must be other than hydrogen;
• or an agriculturally suitable salt thereof.

A composition consisting essentially of an insecticidally effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR22## wherein:
• X is trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethylthio, pentafluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethylthio, pentafluorothio, cyano, trifluoromethyl, chlorine, bromine, fluorine or nitro;
• Y is hydrogen, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethylthio, pentafluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethylthio, pentafluorothio, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl, or alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.1 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.2 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl or nitro;
• Z is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or fluorine, and
• Q is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or fluorine,
• provided
• 1. when Y is alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms, X is trifluoromethyl;
• 2. when X is 4-chloro, 4-bromo or 4-fluoro and R.sub.1, Q, and three of R.sub.2, Z, Y, and R.sub.3 are hydrogen, then the remainder of R.sub.2, Y, R.sub.3 and Z must be other than 4-chloro, 4-bromo, or 4-fluoro;
• 3. when X is nitro, R.sub.3 is other than hydrogen;
• and
• 4. when X is halogen, at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, Q, Y, and Z must be other than hydrogen;
• or an agriculturally suitable salt thereof, and at least one of the members selected from the group consisting of (a) an inert disluent and (b) a surfactant.

A composition consisting essentially of an insecticidally effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR23## wherein:
• X is trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethylthio, pentafluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethylthio, pentafluorothio, cyano, trifluoromethyl, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, or nitro;
• Y is hydrogen, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethylthio, pentafluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethylthio, pentafluorothio, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl, or alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.1 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.2 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl, or nitro;
• Z is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or fluorine;
• provided
• 1. when Y is alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms;
• X is trifluoromethyl;
• 2. when R.sub.3 is nitro, X is trifluoromethyl;
• 3. when X is nitro, at least one of Y or R.sub.3 must be trifluoromethyl;
• and
• 4. when X is halogen, no more than three of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 or Z and Y can be hydrogen;
• or an agriculturally suitable salt thereof, and at least one of the members selected from the group consisting of (a) an inert diluent and (b) a surfactant.

A composition consisting essentially of an insecticidally effective amount of a compound of the formula:

• ##STR24## wherein:
• X is trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethylthio, pentafluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethylthio, pentafluorothio, cyano, trifluoromethyl, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, or nitro;
• Y is hydrogen, trifluoromethoxy, trifluoromethylthio, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethylthio, pentafluoroethoxy, pentafluoroethylthio, pentafluorothio, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl, or alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.1 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.2 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or trifluoromethyl;
• R.sub.3 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, trifluoromethyl, or nitro;
• Z is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, or fluorine;
• provided
• 1. when Y is alkyl of 1-4 carbon atoms, X is trifluoromethyl;
• 2. when R.sub.3 is nitro, X is trifluoromethyl;
• 3. when X is 4-chloro, 4-bromo or 4-fluoro and R.sub.1, R.sub.3, Z and one of R.sub.2 and Y is hydrogen, then the remainder of R.sub.2 and Y must be other than 4-chloro, 4-bromo or 4-fluoro;
• and
• 4. when X is nitro, Y is trifluoromethyl;
• or an agriculturally suitable salt thereof, and at least one of the members selected from the group consisting of (a) an inert diluent and (b) a surfactant.