Acaricidal Property of a New Insecticide, Hexachlorobenzene

Abstract

FOLLOWING closely on the several recent demonstrations of the considerable insecticidal potency of 'D.D.T.' (dichloro-diphenyl-trichlorethane) it is surprising to find another substance which, on preliminary trial, promises to be at least as good, and in some ways even better than, 'D.D.T.'. Through the courtesy of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., I have recently had the opportunity of carrying out a few trials with a substance temporarily designated '666' which has been recognized for some little time by I.C.I. research workers as possessing unusually active insecticidal properties. This substance, which may now openly be referred to as hexachlorobenzene, has the general formula C₆H₆Cl₆ and is a very remarkable compound in that the extraordinary insecticidal properties are held solely by the γ isomer. It is understood, however, that a general statement is shortly to be made by those who have been engaged in the development of this substance as an insecticide, when details on that interesting point will be published.