Process of repelling insects from an area by application of n-alkyl

Abstract

N-lower alkyl neoalkanamides (N-lower alkyl trialkylacetamides of certain types) of 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the lower alkyl thereof and of 5 to 14 carbon atoms in the neoalkanoyl (or trialkylacetyl) group, e.g., N-methyl- and N-ethyl neodecanamides and N-methyl and N-ethyl neotridecanamides, are new compounds, secondary amides which have insect repellent properties, being especially effective against cockroaches, e.g., the German cockroach. However, they are also useful as repellents for other insects, including American cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies, fleas, ants, and lice. Additionally, they may repel arachnids, such as spiders, ticks and mites. The new neoalkanamides may be synthesized easily, as by reacting a primary lower alkyl amine with a neoalkanoyl halide, e.g. by reacting methyl amine or ethyl amine with neodecanoyl chloride. The most effective of the described amides for insect repellency are normally liquid and are sufficiently volatile to be detectable in air by insects. In insect repelling processes they may be applied directly to surfaces and areas to be made insect repellent or such application may be in detergent compositions of a wide variety of types, which are described in the foregoing specification, and they have been found to be substantive to the treated substrates.