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Pheromones and Chemical Communication in the Laboratory
have been presented in our organic chemistry laboratory program, and, accompanied with a handout presenting a brief introduction to the t o ~ i and c references which allow further resdinc, these laboratory exercises have been very well received. Many pheromones which make the news are not common chemicals and would prove prohibitively expensive on which to base experiments. However, many people may be unaware that numerous simple organic chemicals have been characterized as pheromones and can conveniently and inexpensively form the basis of a variety of experiments which can be presented with a pheromone orientation. T h e following list presents some of these common chemicals and may trigger some ideas for new experiments or biological orientations for old ones. pheromone formic acid acetic acid propionic acid valeric acid isovaleric acid phenyl acetic acid i s o m v acetate phenol c ~ a l 2-heptanone 2-nonanone
benzoquinone 4-methyl-3-heptanone limonene California S t a t e University, Chico Chico. California 95929
210 / Journal of Chemical Education
Activity Type alarm deien~e
defense sex
defense, scent marking scent marking alarm sex
alarm alarm alarm defense alarm alarm
Animd Source ants ants. scorpion ants sugar beet wireworm antr. pronghorn antelope mongoiian gerbil ant grass grub beetle ant ant
ant anthropodl ant ant Donald B. AIger
