Physiological Effects of Alkyl Polyphosphates

Abstract

DURING the War, the Germans introduced as insecticides a series of phosphate esters, including tetraethylpyrophosphate and hexaethyltetraphosphate. From information supplied to us by Mr. B. Topley, it appears probable that both these materials, in the form in which we have used them, were, in fact, mixtures of substances with the empirical composition implied by their names; in any event, it is certain that hexaethyltetraphosphate is almost instantaneously largely hydrolysed in water into simpler bodies. In toxicity tests^1,2 a characteristic syndrome of hyperexcitability, twitching, salivation and convulsions, has been noted with doses of 1–3 mgm./kgm. Dubois and Mangun^2,3 showed that these compounds are potent anticholinesterases; they are more active than diisopropylfluorophosphonate in the rat both in vitro and in vivo; this finding has been confirmed on the American roach⁴.