[The track pheromone of the termite Schedorhinotermes lamanianus (Sjöstedt)]

The trail pheromone of the African Termite Schedorhinotermes lamanianus has been investigated. It consists of two active components: an unsaturated fatty alcohol probably in C14 and a corresponding esterified fraction. The interconversion of the two by acetylation-saponification has been demonstrated. However, it is not yet known whether the ester occurs naturally as an acetate or not. A carbonyl derivative, biologically inactive, has also been isolated; its reduction with NaBH4 leads to an active alcohol of same Rf value as the preceding one.