ABSTRACT
Ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy was useful for the estimation of a particular naturally occurring pesticide present in plant extract. The utility of UV spectroscopy in elucidating the structures or in identification of the hormones can be best illustrated in the case of the ecdysteroids. There are three types of insect hormones, viz., brain hormones, prothoracic gland hormones or molting hormones, and juvenile hormones. The utility of UV spectroscopy in elucidating the structures or in identification of these hormones can be best illustrated in the case of the ecdysteroids. The UV spectral data were consistent with the proposed structures for the rearranged products. The basic skeletal framework present in ecdysones is steroidal. However, molting hormones, isolated from different sources, differ in the number, position, and/or nature of the hydroxyl groups in the acyclic side chain. The structure of a-ecdysone (VIII) was elucidated by UV as well as the IR and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
