SYNTHESIS OF INHIBITORS OF A DELTA-11 DESATURASE IN THE MOTH SPODOPTERA-LITTORALIS

Some novel fatty acids, structurally related to palmitic acid, with a cyclopropene ring, an allene moiety or a fluorine atom at selected positions of the chain have been synthesized and characterized. Ethyl diazoacetate has been used to create the cyclopropene rings from suitable acetylenes and allene acids have been prepared from the corresponding propargyl acetates by a 1,3-elimination reaction. Fluorofatty acids have been obtained by reaction of DAST with secondary alcohols. The cyclopropene derivatives were very strong inhibitors of Z11-desaturation of palmitic acid in pheromone glands of Spodoptera littoralis.