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Insect sex pheromones

Evaporation rates of acetates from natural rubber septa

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Abstract

The half-lives (tin1/2) of acetate sex pheromones andn-alkyl acetates were determined on either or both West Co. and Arthur H. Thomas Co. natural rubber septa. These septa gave equal half-lives. Thet 1/2 values covered a large range: e.g.,t 1/2 for decyl acetate was 5 days and that for pentadecyl acetate was 1353 days. The expected linear relationship between Int 1/2 versus the number of carbon atoms was found for the six acetates fromn-decyl to pentadecyl, but thet 1/2 of hexadecyl acetate was only 478 days. This nonlinearity in the plot is attributed to the presence of polymer cross-links which create molecular size cages and produce an effect similar to that produced in gel permeation chromatography wherein large molecules elute faster than smaller ones. Thet 1/2 of 4 monounsaturated acetates were close to thet 1/2 for the corresponding saturated acetates, but this relationship may not be general. The half-life of one nonconjugated diunsaturated acetate was much less than that for the corresponding monounsaturated acetate, whereas the half-life of another nonconjugated diunsaturated acetate was similar to the half-life of the corresponding monounsaturated acetate. Thet 1/2 values determined for the pheromones may be used to estimate evaporation rates, the length of time the evaporation rates will be within a given range, and, with multicomponent pheromones, the ratio of components in the vapor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Science and Education Administration, USDA, 98902, Yakima, Washington

    L. I. Butler & L. M. McDonough

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  1. L. I. Butler
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  2. L. M. McDonough
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Butler, L.I., McDonough, L.M. Insect sex pheromones. J Chem Ecol 5, 825–837 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986567

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986567

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