The sex pheromone of the pine sawfly Microdiprion pallipes (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae)

Correspondence to: H.-E. Hogberg, e-mail: Hans-Erik.Hogberg@kep.mh.se The pheromone of the pine sawfly Microdiprion pallipes (Fallen) (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) has been identified as at least one stereoisomer of 3,7,11-trimethyl-2-tridecyl propionate. The corresponding alcohol precursor occurs in about 1.5 ng per female. The active compound in esterified extracts from females was singled out by gas chromatography combined with electroantennographic detection. Its structure was elucidated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in combination with synthesis. A mixture of the 16 possible stereoisomers of 3,7,11-trimethyl-2-tridecanol was prepared. The gas chromatogram of the synthetic material gave two peaks, one of which displayed the same retention time and mass spectrum as that of natural virgin female extract. The propionate of the synthetic material was found to be active both in electroantennography and in field tests.