Biosynthesis of Homoterpenes in Higher Plants

In higher plants, the two homoterpenes 4,8-dimethyinona-1,3,7-triene ( 1 ) and 4,8,12-trimethyltrideca-1,3,7,11-tetraene ( 2 ) are synthesized from the regular terpene alcohols nerolidol and geranyllinalool by fragmentation into the homoterpene and butenone. The biosynthetic pathway is evidenced by conversion of (²H)nerolidol in Hoya purpureo-fusca, Magnolia liliiflora nigra, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Philadelphus coronarius.