 In 1892, dinitro-"ortho"-cresol (2,4-dinitro-6-methylphenol), a chemical compound closely related to dinoseb, was discovered in Germany and first used as an insecticide.It was later also used as an herbicide and also fungicide characteristics were discovered.In 1945 the "ortho"-methyl group was replaced by a "sec"-butyl group, producing dinoseb.