Cembrene A

Cembrene A, or sometimes neocembrene, is a natural monocyclic diterpene isolated from corals of the genus Nephthea. It is a colorless oil with a faint wax-like odor.

Cembrene A itself has little importance as a chemical entity, being a trail pheromone for termites; however, the chemical structure of cembrene is central to a very wide variety of other natural products found both in plants and in animals.

Cembrenes are biosynthesized by macrocyclization of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate.