Naoki Kitaoka

Researchers have established that (+)‐7‐ iso ‐jasmonic acid ((+)‐7‐ iso ‐JA) is an intermediate in the production of cis ‐jasmone (CJ); however, the biosynthetic pathway of CJ has not been fully described. Previous reports stated that CJ, a substructure of pyrethrin II produced by pyrethrum ( Tanacetum cinerariifolium ), is not biosynthesized through this biosynthetic pathway. To clarify the ambiguity, stable isotope‐labelled jasmonates were synthesized, and compounds were applied to apple mint ( Mentha suaveolens ) via air propagation. The results showed that cis ‐jasmone is not generated from intermediate (+)‐7‐ iso ‐JA, and (+)‐7‐ iso ‐JA is not produced from 3,7‐dideydro‐JA (3,7‐ddh‐JA); however, 3,7‐didehydro‐JA and 4,5‐didehydro‐7‐ iso ‐JA were converted into CJ and JA, respectively.