Occurs together with its monomethyl and dimethyl ethers in the heartwood of pine and other woody plants. Naturally occurring pinosylvins have the trans configuration. Isoln from Pinus sylvestris L., Pinaceae: H. Erdtman, Ann. 539, 116 (1939); from other Pinus species: G. Lindstedt, Acta Chem. Scand. 3, 755-772 (1949); J. C. Alvarez-Novoa et al., ibid. 4, 444 (1950); from Alnus sieboldiana, Betulaceae: Y. Asakawa, Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 44, 2761 (1971); from Polygonum nodosum, Polygonaceae: M. Kuroyanagi et al., Chem. Pharm. Bull. 30, 1602 (1982). Synthesis of pinosylvin: E. Sp"ath, F. Liebherr, Ber. 74, 869 (1941); of monomethyl ether: E. Sp"ath, K. Kromp, ibid. 1424; of dimethyl ether: G. Aulin-Erdtman, H. Erdtman, ibid. 50; of pinosylvin and derivatives: A. A. Loman, L. R. Snowdon, Can. J. Chem. 48, 1554 (1970). Biosynthesis: Birch, Fortschr. Chem. Org. Naturst. 14, 186 (1957). Toxicological study: K. O. Frykholm, Nature 155, 454 (1945). Use as antimicrobial agent: E. H. Sheers, DE 1952451; idem, US 3577230 (1970, 1971 both to Arizona Chem. Co.). Deterrent to feeding behavior of snowshoe hare: J. P. Bryant et al., Science 222, 1023 (1983).