Contact Information
ECUST
Office: Room 1433, Researching Building 18
Email: peter.maienfisch@hotmail.com
Office Phone: +86

Switzerland
Address: CreInSol MCB, Aegertenstrasse 21, CH-4118 Rodersdorf, Switzerland
Email: peter.maienfisch@hotmail.com/ peter.maienfisch@syngenta.com
Office Phone: +41 79 619 18 37


Education
04/1983 - 09/1984 Post-doctoral research in the group of Professor Robert E. Ireland, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA, USA.
01/1979 - 04/1983 Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry (April 1983), Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland, Supervisor: Professor Oskar Jeger.
10/1975 - 09/1978 Master degree(Diploma in Chemistry, Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland.

Professional Experience
05/2020 – present Owner of CreInSol MCB, Rodersdorf, Switzerland - a company providing consulting services to companies in the fields of research and development of chemical and biological crop protection agents, to agriculture and food production. The company also provides services in the field of education and training and is actively involved in research to deliver new, modern products and solutions for the agricultural industry.
04/2011 – 04/2020 Research Portfolio Manager Insect Control & Seedcare, Research & Development, Syngenta Crop Protection, Basel, Switzerland
09/2008 - 04/2011 Head Portfolio Strategy Team Insecticides, Research & Development, Syngenta Crop Protection, Stein, Switzerland
10/2000 - 09/2008 Group Leader Insecticide Chemistry, Analytics & Automation, Research & Development, Syngenta Crop Protection, Stein, Switzerland.
10/1997 - 09/2000 Head of Chemistry 2, Crop Protection Research, Novartis, Basel, Switzerland
05/1988 - 09/1997 Group Leader, Insecticide Research, Ciba Geigy, Basel, Switzerland
10/1984 - 04/1988 Research Chemist, Animal Health Research, Ciba Geigy, Basel, Switzerland

Short CV
· Peter Maienfisch is the owner of CreInSol MCB, a company formed in April 2020. Previously he held the role as Research Portfolio Manager Insect Control & Seedcare at Syngenta Crop Protection AG in Switzerland (until April 2020). In this role he was responsible to define the research strategies and to govern all insecticide, nematicide and seedcare research projects across technologies from their initiation to the delivery to development.
· Furthermore, he works as Honorary Professor at the East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST), Shanghai, China, and as lecturer at the University of Basel, Switzerland.
· Peter Maienfisch studied chemistry at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zürich, Switzerland, where he received his PhD in 1983. Afterwards he spent almost 2 years at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech; Pasadena, CA, USA) to perform post-doctoral research in the group of Robert E. Ireland.
· During his career he held several different leadership functions in Crop Protection R&D including Group Leader Insecticide Chemistry, Analytics & Automation at Syngenta, Head of Chemistry in Crop Protection Research at Novartis and Group Leader in Insecticide Research at Ciba.
· His track record of innovation and successful introduction of new technologies includes authorship of more than 200 scientific papers and patents. He is the inventor of thiamethoxam (Actara?, Cruiser?, one of the leading insecticides world-wide with annual sales of more than 1 billion $), and championed the development of this innovative insecticide. Furthermore, he initiated research on many new chemical classes at Syngenta and made essential contributions to the discovery and optimization of several new active ingredients, such as Spiropidion, Isocycloseram, Cyclobutrifluram and a malaria vector control compound, which are expected to reach the market in the next couple of years. His scientific contributions also led to many invitations as a speaker and co-organizer of many international congresses, including IUPAC Crop Protection congresses.
Research Interests
· Design, synthesis, characterization and development of novel environmentally friendly products and solutions for Crop Protection, Animal Health and Vector Control
· Organic chemistry and synthetic methodology
· Bioactive compounds – insecticides, nematicides, parasiticides, and vector control agents
· Structure activity relationships, phys.-chem. properties, modelling, bioisosterism & scaffold hopping, halogen-containing agrochemicals, pro-pesticides
· Semiochemicals incl. pheromones, crop health and crop enhancement incl. biostimulants, natural defense activators
Publications (Selection)
1. Design, synthesis and acaricidal activities of Cyflumetofen analogues based on carbon-silicon isosteric replacement. Cong Zhou, Jiagao Cheng, Ryan Beadle, Fergus G Earley, Zhong Li, Peter Maienfisch, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2020. 115509. in press.
2. RNA-Based Biocontrols—A New Paradigm in Crop Protection. Matthew Bramlett, Geert Plaetinck, Peter Maienfisch. Engineering, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2019.09.008, in press.
3. Spiro-N‐methoxy piperidine ring containing aryldiones for the control of sucking insects and mites: discovery of spiropidion. Michel Muehlebach, Peter Maienfisch, et.al. Pest Manag. Sci. 2020, (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI 10.1002/ps.5743, in press.
4. Recent nematicides. Maienfisch, Peter, Loiseleur, Olivier; Slaats, Brigitte. In: Modern Crop Protection Compounds (3nd Edition) (2018). Eds.: Peter Jeschke, Matthias Witschel, Wolfgang Kr?mer, Ulrich Schirmer.
5. Selective Feeding Blochers: Pymetrozine, Flonicamid, and Pyrifluquinazon. Maienfisch Peter. In: Modern Crop Protection Compounds (3nd Edition) (2018). Eds.: Peter Jeschke, Matthias Witschel, Wolfgang Kr?mer, Ulrich Schirmer.
6. Six-membered compounds: thiamethoxam and AKD 1022. Maienfisch Peter. In: Modern Crop Protection Compounds (2nd Edition) (2018). Eds.: Peter Jeschke, Matthias Witschel, Wolfgang Kr?mer, Ulrich Schirmer.
7. Thiazole and Isothiazole Ring–Containing Compounds in Crop Protection. Maienfisch Peter, Edmunds Andrew J.F. In: Advances in Heterocyclic Chemistry, Eds.: Scriven E.F.V., Ramsden Ch.A. Volume 121, 2017, Pages 35-88.
8. The invertebrate pharmacology of insecticides acting at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Andrew J. Crossthwaite, Aurelien Bigot, Philippe Camblin, Jim Goodchild, Robert J. Lind, Russell Slater and Peter Maienfisch. J. Pestic. Sci. 42(3), 67–83 (2017)
9. Identification and Optimization of New Leads for Malaria Vector Control. Hueter Ottmar F; Hoppe Mark; Wege Philip; Maienfisch Peter. Chimia (2016), 70(10), 698-703.
10. Evaluation of Commercial Agrochemicals as New Tools for Malaria Vector Control. Hoppe Mark; Hueter Ottmar F; Bywater Andy; Wege Philip; Maienfisch Peter. Chimia (2016), 70(10), 721-729.
11. Modern Agribusiness - Markets, Companies, Benefits and Challenges. Maienfisch Peter, Stevenson Thomas M. In: Discovery and Synthesis of Crop Protection Products. Editor(s): Peter Maienfisch, Thomas M. Stevenson, ACS Symposium Series Volume 1204. Chapter 1, pp 1-13. Publication Date (Web): November 4, 2015.
12. Investigating the mode of action of sulfoxaflor: a fourth-generation neonicotinoid. Cutler Penny, Slater Russell, Edmunds Andrew J. F., Maienfisch Peter, Hall Roger G., Earley Fergus G. P., Pitterna Thomas, Pal Sitaram, Paul Verity-Laura, Goodchild Jim. Pest Management Science (2013), 69(5), 607-619.
13. Spiroindolines identify the vesicular acetylcholine transporter as a novel target for insecticide action. Sluder Ann, Shah Sheetal, Cassayre Jerome, Clover Ralph, Maienfisch Peter, Molleyres Louis-Pierre, Hirst Elizabeth A., Flemming Anthony J., Shi Min, Cutler Penny. PLoS One (2012), 7(5), e34712. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.**.
14. New ventures in the chemistry of avermectins. By Pitterna, Thomas; Cassayre, Jerome; Huter, Ottmar Franz; Jung, Pierre M. J.; Maienfisch, Peter; Kessabi, Fiona Murphy; Quaranta, Laura; Tobler, Hans. From Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry (2009), 17(12), 4085-4095.
15. Studies related to the total synthesis of the sesquiterpene core of the pyrrolobenzoxazine natural products CJ-12662 and CJ-12663. Commandeur Malgorzata, Commandeur Claude, De Paolis Michael, Edmunds, Andrew J. F., Maienfisch Peter, Ghosez Leon. Tetrahedron Letters (2009), 50(26), 3359-3362.
16. Thiamethoxam: high-affinity binding and unusual mode of interference with other neonicotinoids at aphid membranes. Kayser Hartmut, Wellmann Henning, Lee Connie, Decock Arnaud, Gomes Marilyne, Cheek Ben, Lind Rob, Baur Markus, Hattenschwiler Joerg, Maienfisch Peter. ACS Symposium Series (2007), 948 (Synthesis and Chemistry of Agrochemicals VII), 67-81.
17. Comparative analysis of neonicotinoid binding to insect membranes: I. A structure-activity study of the mode of [3H]imidacloprid displacement in Myzus persicae and Aphis craccivora. Kayser Hartmut, Lee Connie, Decock Arnaud, Baur Markus, Haettenschwiler Joerg, Maienfisch Peter. Pest Management Science (2004), 60(10), 945-958.
18. The importance of fluorine in the life science industry. Maienfisch Peter, Hall Roger G. Chimia (2004), 58(3), 93-99.
19. Gem-difluorovinyl derivatives as insecticides and acaricides. Pitterna Thomas, Boeger Manfred, Maienfisch Peter. Chimia (2004), 58(3), 108-116.
20. Azido-neonicotinoids as candidate photoaffinity probes for insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Maienfisch Peter, Haettenschwiler Joerg, Rindlisbacher Alfred, Decock Arnaud, Wellmann Henning, Kayser Hartmut. Chimia (2003), 57(11), 710-714.
21. Applications of parallel synthesis to lead optimization. Altorfer Michael, Ermert, Philipp, Faessler Juerg, Farooq Saleem, Hillesheim Elke, Jeanguenat Andre, Klumpp Klaus, Maienfisch Peter, Martin Joseph A., Merrett John H., et al. Chimia (2003), 57(5), 262-269.
22. 4-Nitroimino-1,3,5-oxadiazinanes: a new type of neonicotinoid insecticides. Maienfisch P., Rindlisbacher A., Huerlimann H., Haettenschwiler J., Desai A. K., Ekkundi V. S., Gangan V. D. ACS Symposium Series (2002), 800 (Synthesis and Chemistry of Agrochemicals VI), 219-230.
23. Chemistry and biology of thiamethoxam: a second generation neonicotinoids. Maienfisch Peter, Angst Max, Brandl Franz, Fischer Willi, Hofer Dieter, Kayser Hartmut, Kobel Werner, Rindlisbacher Alfred, Senn Robert, Steinemann Adrian, et al. Pest Management Science (2001), 57(10), 906-913.
24. The discovery of thiamethoxam: a second-generation neonicotinoids. Maienfisch Peter, Huerlimann Hanspeter, Rindlisbacher Alfred, Gsell Laurenz, Dettwiler Hansruedi, Haettenschwiler Joerg, Sieger Evelyne, Walti Markus. Pest Management Science (2001), 57(2), 165-176.
25. Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of benzophenone hydrazone derivatives with insecticidal activity. Boger Manfred, Durr Dieter, Gsell Laurenz, Hall Roger G., Karrer Friedrich, Kristiansen Odd, Maienfisch Peter, Pascual Alfons, Rindlisbacher Alfred. Pest Management Science (2001), 57(2), 191-202.
26. 5-Azidoimidacloprid and an Acyclic analog as Candidate Photoaffinity Probes for Mammalian and Insect Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. Kagabu Shinzo, Maienfisch Peter, Zhang Aiguo, Granda-Minones Joaquin, Haettenschwiler Joerg, Kayser Hartmut, Maetzke Thomas, Casida John E. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (2000), 43(26), 5003-5009.
27. A novel method for the preparation of N,N'-disubstituted N''-nitroguanidines, including a practical synthesis of the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin. Maienfisch, P., Huerlimann H., Haettenschwiler J. Tetrahedron Letters (2000), 41(37), 7187-7191.
28. Insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor: conserved neonicotinoid specificity of [3H]imidacloprid binding site. Zhan Aiguo, Kayser Hartmut, Maienfisch Peter, Casida John E. Journal of Neurochemistry (2000), 75(3), 1294-1303.
29. CGA 293'343: a novel, broad-spectrum neonicotinoid insecticide. Maienfisch P., Brandl F., Kobel W., Rindlisbacher A., Senn R. In: Nicotinoid Insecticides and the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor, [Based on a Symposium on Nicotinoid Insecticides and the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor], Las Vegas, Nev., Sept., 1997 (1999), 177-209.. Eds: Yamamoto Izuru, Casida John E.
30. Synthetic approaches towards CGA 293'343: a novel broad-spectrum insecticide. Gobel Thomas, Gsell Laurenz, Huter Ottmar F., Maienfisch Peter, Naef Rudolf, O'Sullivan Anthony C., Pitterna Thomas, Rapold Thomas, Seifert Gottfried, Senn Marcel, et al. Pesticide Science (1999), 55(3), 355-357.
31. Synthesis and insecticidal activity of CGA 293343 - a novel broad-spectrum insecticide. Maienfisch, Peter, Gsell Laurenz, Rindlisbacher Alfred. Pesticide Science (1999), 55(3), 351-355.
32. Synthesis and insecticidal evaluation of imidacloprid analogs. Boelle Jerome, Schneider Raphael, Gerardin Philippe, Loubinoux Bernard, Maienfisch Peter, Rindlisbacher Alfred. Pesticide Science (1998), 54(3), 304-307.
33. CGA 293343: a novel broad-spectrum insecticide supporting sustainable agriculture worldwide. Senn R., Hofer D., Hoppe T., Angst M., Wyss P., Brandl F., Maienfisch P., Zang L., White S. In: Brighton Crop Protection Conference--Pests and Diseases (1998), (vol. 1), 27-36.
34. Diastereoselective microbial hydroxylation of milbemycin derivatives. Ramos Tombo Gerardo M., Ghisalba Oreste, Schaer Hans Peter, Frei Bruno, Maienfisch Peter, O'Sullivan Anthony C. Agricultural and Biological Chemistry (1989), 53(6), 1531-5.
35. The convergent synthesis of polyether ionophore antibiotics: the synthesis of the A ring carbamonensin spiro ether. Ireland Robert E., Maienfisch Peter. Journal of Organic Chemistry (1988), 53(3), 640-51.
36. Asymmetric induction by enantiotopically differentiating retro-Claisen reaction of prochiral bicyclic beta-diketones. Duthaler Rudolf O., Maienfisch Peter. Helvetica Chimica Acta (1984), 67(3), 845-55.
37. Synthesis of optically pure compounds by enantiotopically differentiating monoacetalization of prochiral diketones. Duthaler Rudolf O., Maienfisch Peter. Helvetica Chimica Acta (1982), 65(3), 635-53.