ABSTRACT
Pesticides have been used over time for protecting crops and preventing diseases caused by pests but the use of pesticides raises numerous concerns about food safety. These pesticides affects not only pests but also unintentionally harms animals, plants, and ecosystems. Loss of pesticides during application contributes to environmental damage, persisting in soil and water sources, and posing health risks to humans through exposure to residues. Chalcones and its derivatives, are natural compounds abundant in plants, possess versatile pharmacological properties and are explored for various medicinal applications. The aim of this study is to synthesize chalcones which could serve as safer alternatives to conventional pesticides.
Two chalcone were synthesized using the Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction involving substituited acetophenone and benzaldehyde derivatives. Melting point determination was carried out to ascertain the purity and the insecticidal activity of the synthesized compounds against cowpea weevils were determined.
The two compounds synthesized were (E)-3-(benzo (ɖ) (1,3) dioxol-5-yl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-2-en-1-one (sample K) and (E)-3-(benzo (ɖ) (1,3) dioxol-5-yl)-1-(4-nitrophenyl) prop-2-en-1-one (sample L) with percentage yield of 85.86% and 88.79% respectively. The melting point of each compound were 270-280oC 118-120oC respectively. Both samples were detected to have insecticidal activity against the cowpea weevils used for the study.
Two chalcones, samples K and L which were synthesized via a simple technique, showed insecticidal activities against weevils which makes them promising alternatives to currently existing pesticides for grain protection. The insect repellent properties displayed by these compounds is suggestive of their future potential as commercial pesticides. Future research should refine formulations, assess toxicity, and explore broader biological impacts.
