In a strategic move designed to enhance accessibility and accelerate research in chemical ecology and pest management, Alfa Chemistry has announced a significant reorganization of its extensive pheromone chemicals catalog. The company has implemented a novel categorization system based solely on the carbon number of the main chain, a fundamental structural characteristic of these behavior-modifying compounds.

This restructuring directly addresses a key challenge faced by researchers: efficiently locating pheromones with specific structural skeletons. Traditionally, pheromone catalogs might be organized by target insect species, functional groups, or broad chemical classes. While useful, these methods can sometimes obscure the core carbon backbone similarities crucial for understanding volatility, diffusion, and receptor interaction—properties inherently linked to chain length.

"Understanding the relationship between carbon chain length and pheromone activity is fundamental in semiochemical research," commented a spokesperson for Alfa Chemistry's pheromone division. "By reorganizing our inventory based on the main chain carbon count, we provide scientists with an intuitive, structure-first pathway to discover and compare compounds. Whether studying structure-activity relationships, designing novel analogues, or sourcing specific standards, this system streamlines the process."

The newly implemented structure organizes Alfa Chemistry's pheromones into clear categories:

10-Carbon Compounds

• l 10 Carbon Diene Compounds: (3E,5Z)-Undeca-3,5-dien-1-yl acetate
• l 10 Carbon Monoene Compounds: Decanoic acid, (E)-4-Oxo-2-decenal

11-Carbon Compounds

• l 11 Carbon Monoene Compounds: (Z)-7-Dodecen-1-yl acetate (main chain: C11)

12-Carbon Compounds

• l 12 Carbon Diene Compounds: (E,E)-8,10-Dodecadien-1-ol (Codlemone)
• l 12 Carbon Monoene Compounds: (Z)-9-Dodecen-1-yl acetate
• l 12 Carbon Triene Compounds: (3Z,6Z,9Z)-Dodeca-3,6,9-trien-1-yl acetate

13-Carbon Compounds

• l 13 Carbon Diene Compounds: (5Z,9Z)-Tetradeca-5,9-dien-1-yl acetate
• l 13 Carbon Monoene Compounds: Tridecanyl acetate

14-Carbon Compounds

• l 14 Carbon Diene Compounds: (E,E)-9,11-Tetradecadien-1-yl acetate
• l 14 Carbon Monoene Compounds: (Z)-9-Tetradecenal (Z9-14:Ald)

16-Carbon Compounds

• l 16 Carbon Diene Compounds: (Z,Z)-7,11-Hexadecadien-1-yl acetate
• l 16 Carbon Monoene Compounds: (Z)-11-Hexadecenal (Z11-16:Ald)

18-Carbon Compounds

• l 18 Carbon Diene Compounds: (9Z,12Z)-Octadeca-9,12-dien-1-yl acetate
• l 18 Carbon Monoene Compounds: (Z)-13-Octadecen-1-yl acetate

Specialized Long-Chain Compounds

• l 19 Carbon Monoene Compounds: Nonadec-9-en-1-yl acetate
• l 21 Carbon Monoene Compounds: Heneicos-1-ene
• l 23 Carbon Monoene Compounds: Tricos-9-ene

This systematic approach allows scientists to quickly browse pheromones sharing the same carbon backbone length, facilitating comparative studies on how incremental changes in unsaturation or functional groups attached to that chain influence biological activity. It is particularly valuable for chemists synthesizing analogues and ecologists investigating the evolution of pheromone signals across related species.