Biflora-4,10(19),15-triene: A New Diterpene from a Termite Soldier (Isoptera Termitidae Termitinae)

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo01289a048

The frontal gland secretion of soldiers of the termite species Cubitermes umbratus Williams contains a mixture of four isomeric diterpenes.One of these diterpenes is characterized as biflora-4,10(19),15-triene (2).A partial structural assignment was possible on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence.Selective microscale hydroboration, oxidation, and esterification of 2 gave the corresponding crystalline p-bromobenzoate 5b, whose structure was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis.