MOLECULE

(S)-Ipsdienol

Ipsdienol or S-ipsdienol belongs to the class of organic compounds known as acyclic monoterpenoids. These are monoterpenes that do not contain a cycle. Monoterpenoids are terpenes that contain 10 carbon atoms and are comprised of two isoprene units. The biosynthesis of monoterpenes is known to occur mainly through the methyl-eritritol-phosphate (MEP) pathway in the plastids. S-ipsdienol is considered to be an isoprenoid lipid molecule. S-ipsdienol is a secondary alcohol and it is very hydrophobic, practically insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents such as methanol, ethanol and ethyl acetate. Ipsdienol was first identified from the bark beetle Ips confusus, in which it is believed to be a main sex attractant (DOI: 10.1126/science.154.3748.509). It is also one of the major aggregation pheromones of the bark beetle (PMID: 20727970). Ipsdienol has also been identified in a number of plant species, including Cannabis sativa (PMID: 8984153).