Isolation, Structure, and Absolute Configuration of a New Natural Insect Juvenile Hormone from Manduca sexta

Two juvenile hormones are isolated from organ cultures of corpora allata of the tobacco hornworm moth, Manduca sexta Johannson, and are purified by high-resolution liquid chromatography. These are identified as methyl (2E, 6E)-(10R)-10,11-epoxy-3,7,11-trimethyl-2,6-dodecadienoate, a new natural hormone, and methyl (2E,6E) - (10R,11S) - 10,11 - epoxy - 3,7,11 - trimethyl-2,6-tridecadienoate. [(14)C]Methionine is incorporated only into their methoxycarbonyl group. Details of the in vitro techniques and the chemical proof of structures are presented. The significance of the occurrence of a new juvenile hormone and the new techniques used for production, isolation, and identification are discussed.