Isolation and identification of insect pheromones

Neequaye, Nicholas Neekotey (1983) Isolation and identification of insect pheromones. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Abstract

(E)-3-Tridecenyl acetate has been isolated and identified from extracts of the abdominal tips of adult female tobacco stem borers. Scrobipalpa heliopa (Lower) by the use of gas chromatography, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, microchemical reactions and electroantennography. An optimum dose of 2 mg of the synthesised compound was highly attractive to male moths when tested in the field as a trap bait. This is the first identification of (E)-3-tridecenyl acetate as a lepidopteran sex pheromone. An examination of abdominal tip extracts from adult female pigeon pea moths, Exelastis atomosa (Walshe) has revealed the presence of two components which elicit electroantenographic responses from the male moth. The major component has been identified as (Z)-5-decenyl acetate. The Oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis has been shown to employ a volatile sex pheromone which elicits pre-copulatory behaviour in males. Two sesquiterpenoid derivatives, identified in the faeces, have been suggested as possible sex and aggregation pheromones on the evidence of chemical analyses, electroantennography and behavioural bioassays. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry analyses of body washes of males and females of the stink bug, Bathycoelia thalassina (Pentatomidae), have shown the presence of trans-2-hexenal,undecane, dodecane, tridecane (major), tetradecane, pentadecane, pentadecene, 4-oxo-trans2-hexenal, trans-2-decenyl acetate and other unidentified compounds.

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