On the structure of the Phytophthora α1 mating hormone: synthesis and comparison of four candidate stereoisomers

Two two-compound mixtures of candidate structures for the Phytophthora α1 mating hormone have been synthesized. The mixtures were designed to have differing configurations at C3, but proved to be identical. This suggests that epimerization occurred at C3, and comparison with the data for the natural samples suggest that this is also a mixture of isomers.