The chemistry of ants. I. Terpenoid constituents of some Australian Iridomyrmex species

Abstract

Terpenoid constituents have been isolated from the following Iridomyrmex ants. The known methylheptenone (11) and iridodial, a novel dialdehyde (C₁₀H₁₆O₂), have been extracted from Iridomyrmex detectus (F.Sm.) and from I. conifer ((Forel). I. nitidus (Mayr.) has yielded iridolactone (C₁₀H₁₆O₂). Iridodial is converted into iridolactone by the action of alkali. The isolation of iridomyrmecin (a lactone, C₁₀H₁₆O₂) from I. humilis (Mayr.) confirms the original observation of Pavan (1949).