Jg. Zeidler et al., IS ISOPRENE EMITTED BY PLANTS SYNTHESIZED VIA THE NOVEL ISOPENTENYL PYROPHOSPHATE PATHWAY, Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung. C, A journal of biosciences, 52(1-2), 1997, pp. 15-23
The incorporation of deuterium labeled l-deoxy-D-xylulose into isopren
e, emitted by three higher plants upon illumination, was analysed by h
eadspace GC-MS. A high extent of incorporation into isoprene was found
, indicating that isoprene is synthesized in higher plants via the nov
el isopentenyl pyrophosphate pathway, of which 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-ph
osphate is an intermediate. A new chemical synthesis of methyl [1-H-2(
1)]-1-deoxy-alpha/beta-D-xyluloside from D-xylulose is presented.