Two new tetracyclic diterpenes from the defense secretion of the neotropical termite nasutitermes octopilis

✍ Scribed by Glenn D. Prestwich; Joseph W. Lauher; Margaret S. Collins

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1979
• Tongue: French
• Weight: 240 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0040-4039
• DOI: 10.1016/s0040-4039(01)95535-2

✦ Synopsis

OPerggmon Press Ltd. 1979. Prfnted in Great Britain. Chemical defense by the highly evolved nasute termite soldiers (lsoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) is effected by squirting potential predators with an odorous sticky secre-ti0n.l This defense secretion, composed of monoterpene hydrocarbons and polyoxygenated cmbrene-derived diterpenes, has been analyzed in detail for several species representing the genera Nasutitenaes, Trinervitennes andGrallatotemes from Old and New World locations. 2-4 The -diterpene components are dome-shaped, possessing either the tricyclic trinervitane (e.g., .l)3 or 1 the two one tetracyclic kempane (e.g., 2)' carbon skeletons. = We now report the characterization o'? novel B,y-unsaturated ketones based on the kempane skeleton': 38-hydroxy-7B-kemp-8(9)-en-6-

(2) and 2B-acetoxy, 3B-hydroxy-7B -kemp-8(9)-en-6-one (i).