Synthesis of racemic 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol, a pheromone of rice moth and 5,9,13-trimethyltetradecanoic acid, a component of marine sponge from a common intermediate

A facile synthesis of dl-6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-ol (1) a pheromone component of rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica Stainton and 5,9,13-trimethyltetradecanoic acid (2) a component of marine sponge, Cinachyrella alloclada Uliczka, using a common intermediate, hexahydrofarnesol is accomplished. The salient features for 1 are: Grignard coupling of 5 with allylmagnesium bromide and oxymercuration-demercuration whereas for 2 they are: Knoevenagel condensation and subsequent hydrogenation.