Incorporation of deuterium-labelled analogs of isopentenyl diphosphate for the elucidation of the stereochemistry of rubber biosynthesis.

A series of six deuterium-labelled analogs of isopententyl diphosphate (IPP) was prepared to investigate the detailed stereochemical course of addition of C5 units during rubber biosynthesis in Hevea brasiliensis and Parthenium argentatum. These analogs were incorporated into the cis-polyisoprene chain by rubber transferase in rubber particles, and the stereochemistry was determined by 2H-NMR analysis of the polymer or of levulinic acid derivatives obtained from its ozonolytic degradation. Results indicate that rubber chain elongation occurs with loss of the pro-S hydrogen of IPP, addition of the allylic diphosphate to the si face of IPP and inversion of stereochemistry at the carbon bearing the diphosphate.