Plant waxes structure/synthesis

The structure and composition of )3-diketones and hydroxy-/8-diketones of plant waxes strongly suggest that the latter are derived from the former. In support of this conclusion it was shown that wax of barley mutants lacking hydroxy-j8-diketones had a compensatory increase in /3-diketones (von Wettstein-Knowles, 1972). Presumably /8-diketones are hydroxylated in a manner similar to that discussed above for the synthesis of secondary alcohols from hydrocarbons. 

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