Novel Synthesis of 1-Triacontanol, A Plant Growth Stimulator, by Crossed Kolbe Coupling

Abstract

A facile method for the efficient synthesis of 1-triacontanol, a naturally occurring plant growth stimulator, was established in which crossed Kolbe coupling of methyl hydrogen icosanoate with lauric acid in methanol containing potassium hydroxide is carried out in an undivided cell as the key step, followed by reduction of the obtained methyl triacontanoate with lithium aluminium hydride.