Phytal: a candidate sex pheromone component of the moroccan locust dociostaurus maroccanus.

Outbreaks of locusts cause enormous economic losses to agriculture in many countries. To develop environmentally friendly strategies for their control, much research has been focused on the factors that influence locust biology, particularly infochemical-mediated interactions. We present herein the identification and synthesis of both Z and E isomers of phytal (3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadec-2-enal, 1), which are involved in chemical communication and behaviour of the Moroccan locust, Dociostaurus maroccanus, a serious agricultural pest.