A synthetic dodecanolide library for the identification of putative semiochemicals emitted by mantellid frogs

Org Biomol Chem. 2017 Aug 23;15(33):6967-6977. doi: 10.1039/c7ob00849j.

Abstract

Aliphatic macrolides are used by various organisms as semiochemicals or pheromones, e.g. by the endemic Madagascan frog family Mantellinae. Volatile, methyl-branched aliphatic macrolides occur in various species, but their identification by MS is difficult, while isolation is not possible due to the low amounts produced. Therefore, we synthesized a library of methyl-branched 11-dodecanolides to identify unknown macrolides secreted by Gephyromantis moseri, a mantelline frog restricted to the rainforest and characterized by largely terrestrial habitats. The syntheses used metal-organic epoxide opening and ring-closing-metathesis as key steps. All library members 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-methyl-11-dodecanolide were thus identified as part of the secretion by comparison of their mass spectra and their gas chromatographic retention indices. These compounds comprise new natural products.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anura / metabolism*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Macrolides / chemistry*
  • Macrolides / metabolism
  • Male
  • Pheromones / chemistry*
  • Pheromones / metabolism

Substances

  • Macrolides
  • Pheromones