A New Synthesis of the Sex Pheromone of the Indian Meal Moth Plodia Interpunctella hb. (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae)

New synthesis of (9Z,12E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-yl acetate, the sex pheromone of the indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae), were developed. The synthesis was based on a C8+C2=C10 and C10+C4=C14 coupling scheme. The route involves, as the key step, the use of the mercury derivative of the terminal-alkyne -functionalised as intermediate.The first coupling reaction took place between 1-tert-butoxy-8-bromo-octane and lithium acetylide-ethylendiamine complex obtaining 1-tert-butoxy-dec-9-yne, which is transformed in di[tert-butoxy-dec-9-yne]mercury.In the second coupling reaction, the mercury derivative was directly lithiated and then alkylated with (E)-1-bromo-2-butene obtaining 1-tert-butoxy-(9-yne,12E)-9,12-tetradecaenyne. After stereoselective reduction in the presence of NiP-2 catalyst and acetylation gave (9Z,12E)-9,12-tetradecadien-1-yl acetate with 82% isomeric purity.