Abstract Starting from a set of known repellent compounds, a general structural framework with high probability for repellent activity was developed by molecular modelling techniques. Synthesis, structure–biological activity relationships of acylated 1, 3-aminopropanols on the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti and the properties and activity of the new development candidate compound KBR 3023 on Ae. aegypti, the malaria mosquito Anopheles ...