Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Oct 12.
Published in final edited form as: Chembiochem. 2015 Sep 1;16(15):2191–2199. doi: 10.1002/cbic.201500308

Scheme 1. Proposed mechanisms for sesquiterpene production by Δ6-protoilludene synthases.

Scheme 1

Metal-dependent ionization results in the release of the diphosphate moiety (OPP) from farnesyl pyrophosphate ((2E,6E)-FPP) leading to either a 1,11 or 1,10 cyclization of the primary carbocation. A 1,11 cyclization leads to the trans-humulyl cation (7); a 1,10 cyclization of the primary carbocation leads to the (E,E)-germacradienyl cation (8). Further hydride shifts and cyclizations results in final sesquiterpene products (1-6).