Pheromones: 87. An efficient synthesis of (6E,11Z)-6,11-hexadecadienyl acetate and (6E,11Z)-6,11-hexadecadienal: Female sex pheromone components of Antheraea pernyi and A. polyphemus (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1992-26348

(6E,11Z)-Hexadecadienyl acetate (15) and the corresponding aldehyde 16, the female sex pheromone components of Antheraea pernyi and A. polyphemus (Lepidoptera; Saturniidae) have been synthesized in 32% and 27% overall yields, respectively, and in 99% isomeric purity. Tetrahydropyran (1) was used as the starting material to obtain 5-bromopentanol (3) which was subsequently chain elongated to 7-(tetrahydropyran-2-yloxy)-1-heptyne (5) by the standard procedures. The organolithium compound from 5 was coupled with (Z)-1-bromo-4-nonene (11), obtained from the Wittig reaction between pentyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (9) and 4-(tetrahydropyran-2-yloxy)butanal (8) followed by bromination. The product, (Z)-1-(tetrahydropyran-2-yloxy)-11-hexadecen-6-yne (12) which resulted, was reduced with sodium/liquid ammonia to give 13 with the E-6 bond. Removal of the protecting group resulted in the desired alcohol 14 which on acetylation and oxidation gave the desired acetate 15 and the aldehyde 16, respectively.