Synthesis of [3H2]-(11S,17R)-11,17-dimethylhentriacontane:: a useful tool for the study of the internalisation of communication pheromones of ant Camponotus vagus

The convergent synthesis in high enantiomeric and diastereoisomeric purity of [H-3(2)]-(11S,17R)-11,17-dimethylhentriacontane, a communication pheromone of ant Camponotus vagus is described. The stereogenic centres were introduced from commercially available (S)-citronellol and (R)-citronellal and the tritiation step was conducted in the last step of the synthesis with tritium gas over the Wilkinson catalyst. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.