VOLATILE COMPOUNDS FROM JAPANESE MARINE BROWN-ALGAE

Characteristic odoriferous compounds such as dictyopterenes and related hydrocarbons, sesquiterpenes and long chain aldehydes have been identified from wet and undecomposed brown algae along the coast of Japan as constituents of ocean smell and flavors reminiscent of algae. The physiological roles of volatile compounds e.g. male gamete-attracting activities of dictyopterenes, are described. Based on detection of possible biogenetic intermediates, the biogeneses of the long chain aldehydes and dictyopterenes from fatty acids are discussed.