Abiotic enantiomerization of permethrin and cypermethrin: Effects of organic solvents

All synthetic pyrethroids are chiral compounds, and isomerization has been frequently observed from exposure to certain solvents. However, so far, pyrethroid isomerization caused by solvents has not been characterized at the enantiomer level. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of enantiomerization of two commonly used pyrethroids, permethrin and cypermethrin, in various organic solvents and solvent-water systems. The four stereoisomers of permethrin were stable under all test conditions. Rapid enantiomerization of cypermethrin was observed in isopropanol and methanol but not in n-hexane, acetone, or methylene chloride. After 4 days at room temperature, 18-39% conversions occurred for the different cypermethrin stereoisomers in isopropanol and methanol, and the enantiomerization invariably took place at the α-carbon position. The extent of enantiomerization was affected by temperature dependence and was also influenced by water as a cosolvent. In solvent-water mixtures, cypermethrin underwent gradual enantiomerization in acetone-water and rapid enantiomerization in isopropanol-water or methanol-water. The extent of enantiomerization varied among the solvents and as a function of the solvent-to-water ratio. Results from this study suggest that exposure to certain solvents and water may cause artifacts in chiral analysis and that for isomer-enriched pyrethroid products, such abiotic enantiomerization may render the products less effective because the conversion leads to the formation of inactive stereoisomers.