Convenient synthesis of mosquito oviposition pheromone and a highly fluorinated analog retaining biological activity

A simple three-step synthesis is described for 6-acetoxy-5-hexadecanolide, the oviposition pheromone of the mosquitoCulex quinquefasciatus Say and others in that genus. An aldol condensation between 1-trimethylsilyloxycyclopent-1-ene and undecanal, followed by Baeyer-Villiger ring expansion and acetylation, gave the required compound as a 1∶1 mixture of diastereoisomers in high overall yield (>80%). This synthetic approach is readily adapted for synthesis of analogs. The heptadecafluoro compound, in which then-octyl group is replaced by perfluorooctyl, retained high biological activity.