Natural compounds with bis-methylene-interrupted Z-double bonds: plant sources, strategies of total synthesis, biological activity, and perspectives

The review summarizes data on natural compounds including higher carboxylic acids, acetogenins, lembehynes, and insect pheromones containing bis-methylene-interrupted Z-double bonds in the molecules, general approaches to their synthesis, and the biological activities they exhibit. The review is of interest for a wide circle of researchers in the field of organic, medicinal, phyto- and biochemistry, and pharmacology, and pharmacognosy, as it describes the key strategies of stereoselective formation of bis-methylene-interrupted Z-double bonds, known biological activities of these natural compounds, their total synthesis, and occurrence in plants, animals, and microorganisms.