MOLECULAR CONNECTIVITY AND HYDROPHOBICITY IN THE STUDY OF ANTIFEEDANTACTIVITY OF CLERODANE DITERPENOIDS

Feeding deterrent activities of twelve clerodane diterpenoids towards Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae have been correlat ed using molecular connectivity indexes (3chi(c), 4chi(c)v, 0DELTAX) a nd hydrophobicity constants (log K'w) obtained by reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). The equations obtained suggest that both the d egree of branching and the electronic characteristics of the compounds under study have a dominant role in the observed antifeedant activity . The information obtained from the correlations should be useful in d esigning more potent analogues.