Autoxidation of Insect Lipids: Inhibition on the Cuticle of the American Cockroach

Abstract

The major hydrocarbon, cis, cis-6,9-heptacosadiene, of Periplaneta americana cuticles and oothecae solidifies in air by autoxidation. The reaction resembles the autoxidation of other dienes by known free radical mechanisms and yields stearic acid, stearal, hexanoic acid, and hexanal. On the cuticle, autoxidation is inhibited by polyhydric phenols.