Design, synthesis and insecticidal activity evaluation of novel oxime ether sulfonamide derivatives containing cyclopropane fragments against Plutella xylostella

BACKGROUND: Plutella xylostella poses a severe threat to cruciferous crops globally and has evolved resistance to a broad spectrum of insecticides. This escalating resistance underscores an urgent need to develop novel insecticides with unique structures and distinct modes-of-action. RESULTS: ]. Molecular docking confirmed that compound 3a-28 stably binds to the active pocket of chitinase (OfChtI). Additionally, preliminary toxicity evaluation results demonstrated that compound 3a-28 exhibits excellent biosafety. CONCLUSION: The novel cyclopropane-containing oxime ether sulfonamide derivative 3a-28 is a highly promising insecticide candidate against P. xylostella, featuring a unique chitinase-inhibiting mechanism. The findings of this study lay a solid foundation for the future development of insecticides. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.