Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 13, 2026

Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate

Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate is an isoprenoid precursor. It is a product of both the mevalonate pathway and the MEP pathway of isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis. It is an isomer of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and exists in virtually all life forms. The enzyme isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase catalyzes isomerization between DMAPP and IPP.

Last revised
Jul 13, 2026
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Source
Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate
Skeletal formula
Skeletal formula source ↗
Ball-and-stick model
Ball-and-stick model source ↗
Names
IUPAC name
3-Methyl-2-buten-1-yl trihydrogen diphosphate
Other names
Dimethylallyl diphosphate; isoprenyl pyrophosphate; isoprenyl diphosphate
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
MeSH 3,3-dimethylallyl+pyrophosphate
  • InChI=1S/C5H12O7P2/c1-5(2)3-4-11-14(9,10)12-13(6,7)8/h3H,4H2,1-2H3,(H,9,10)(H2,6,7,8)
    Key: CBIDRCWHNCKSTO-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • CC(=CCOP(=O)(O)OP(=O)(O)O)C
Properties
C5H12O7P2
Molar mass 246.092 g·mol−1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP; or alternatively, dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP); also isoprenyl pyrophosphate) is an isoprenoid precursor. It is a product of both the mevalonate pathway and the MEP pathway of isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis. It is an isomer of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and exists in virtually all life forms. The enzyme isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase catalyzes isomerization between DMAPP and IPP.1

In the mevalonate pathway, DMAPP is synthesised from mevalonic acid. In contrast, DMAPP is synthesised from HMBPP in the MEP pathway.

At present, it is believed that there is crossover between the two pathways in organisms that use both pathways to create terpenes and terpenoids, such as in plants, and that DMAPP is the crossover product.

Mevalonate pathway source ↗
Simplified version of the steroid synthesis pathway with the intermediates isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP), dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP), geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP) and squalene shown. Some intermediates are omitted. source ↗
References

References