Famesyl pyrophosphate hydrolysis

Isopentenyl pyrophosphate acts as an alkylating agent toward famesyl pyrophosphate. Alkylation is followed by loss of a proton from the carbocation intermediate, giving geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. Hydrolysis of the pyrophosphate yields geranylgeraniol. 

Hydrolysis of the pyrophosphate ester group converts famesyl pyrophosphate to the corresponding alcohol farnesol (see Figure 26.6 for the stmcture of famesol). 

Figure 5.22 shows a tiny fraction of the biosynthetic pathways derived from (Z, )-famesyl pyrophosphate. Direct hydrolysis leads to acyclic sesquiterpenoids such as famesol (111) and nerolidol... 

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