A series of anthranilic diamides with a hydrazone substructure was synthesised and characterised using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR and elemental analyses. The in vitro insecticidal activity of all the compounds was tested against Plutella xylostella. The results showed the synthesised compounds to possess good insecticidal activity. The LC50 values of compounds VIIg, VIIl, VIIm, VIIn exhibited excellent insecticidal activities, with the LC50 affording 7.92 mg L−1, 12.01 mg L−1, 0.62 mg L−1 and 10.71 mg L−1, respectively. These may prove to be useful as potential insecticidal agents.