Hisashi Komae

Components of the ant secretions.

Abstract Studies on the chemistry of the secretions from various ant species have shown that the ants can be classified into four groups on the basis of the major component(s) in their secretions: group A, contains paraffins along with formic acid; group B, contains terpenes; group c, contains considerable amount of paraffins, terpenes and acyclic ketones; and group D, contains aromatic compounds.

The scent scale substances of malePieris butterflies (Pieris melete andPieris napi)

7 monoterpenes, α-pinene, β-pinene, myrcene, p-cymene, limonene, neral and geranial, were identified together with n-undecane in the scent scales ofP. melete, and also, together with considerable amounts of linalool, in the scent scales ofP. napi. Content ratio of neral to geranial inP. melete ranged from 0.77 to 1.04, and that inP. napi from 1.84 to 2.43. The present chemotaxonomic approach shows the 2 species ofPieris to be distinct.

Major components in the hairpencil secretions of Danaid butterflies from Far East Asia

Abstract A survey of the components in the hairpencil secretions of 10 species of danaid butterflies from Japan and Formosa has been carried out to indicate whether they provide information of taxonomic significance compared to American, African and Australian species. The Far East species contained hydroxydanaidal and/or danaidone and the genus Euplosa contained trans -β-ocumene and linalool in addition. These results suggest that the components of the secretion of Far East species are very similar to those in danaids from Australia.

Identification of chemical oviposition stimulants from rice grain forSitophilus zeamais motschulsky (Coleoptera, Curculionidae).

Chemical components stimulating oviposition bySitophilus zeamais in rice grain were isolated from rice bran and were found to be a mixture of ferulates, diglycerides, and free sterols. Oviposition preference of the species can be induced by synergistic action of these compounds.

Chemistry and distribution of sesquiterpene furans in lauraceae

Abstract Twenty-seven sesquiterpene furans which possess farnesane, germacrane, elemane, selinane and linderane skeletons have been isolated from five species of the Lauraceae. The occurrence of the sesquiterpene furns is one of the characteristic chemosystematic features of this family.

Geographical variation in terpenes from Lindera umbellata and Lindera sericea

Abstract An investigation of the leaf terpenes in Lindera umbellata and L. sericea revealed the presence of four geographical races among these taxa.

Essential Oils of Some Lauraceae Species from the Southwestern Parts of China

ABSTRACT The constituents of the leaf oils from ten Chinese Lauraceae species (Cinnamomum glanduliferum (Wall.) Nees, Cinnamomum burmannii CG. & Th. Nees, Lindera thomsonii Allen, Lindera communis Hemsl., Lindera angustifolia Cheng, Machilus longipedicellata Lecomte, Machilus yunnanensis Lecomte, Neocinnamomum delavayi (Lecomte) H. Liou, Phoebe kwangciensis Liou, Phoebe nigrifolia S. Lee et F. N. Wei) found in the southwestern parts of China were analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS. The individual mono- and sesquiterpenes were identified by MS spectra comparing with those of authentic specimens. The identified components constituted 88.5–99.6% of these oils. These leaf oils were found to be rich in monoterpenes (43.2–94.9%) and sesquiterpenes (1.3–47.4%). Twenty-six to forty-five compounds have been characterized by GC/MS in each of the leaf oils of the ten Lauraceae species.

Determination of germanium in some plants and animals.

The Ge contents of plants and animals were investigated by a wet ashing procedure by hydride generation and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry with flow injection. The analytical results obtained indicated that Ge contents widely vary in plant and animal kingdoms in the range of 8 -203 ppb.

An approach to chemotaxonomy of the Asarum subgenus

A survey of chemical composition of 23 species of Asarum subgenus Heterotropa showed that the five groups could be distinguished on the basis of the presence or absence of asatone, phenol ethers and terpenes.

Amides fromAsarum chingchengense

Abstract Two new amides, chingchengenamide A and B, were isolated together with isoasatone A and β-sitosterol from the rhizomes of Asarum chingchengense . The structures of chingchengenamids A and B were elucidated by spectral data analysis as (2 E ,4 E )- N -isobutyl-7-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl) hepta-2,4-dienamide and (2 E ,4 E )- N -isobutyl-7-(3,4-methylenedioxy-5-methoxyphenyl) hepta-2,4-dienamide.