Studies in Waxes. XX. The Quantitative Analysis of Hydrolysed Carnauba Wax by Gas Chromatography

Abstract

The hydrolytic products of carnauba wax, previously shown to consist mainly of straight-chain alcohols, α,ω-diols, alkanoic acids, and ω-hydroxyalkanoic acids, have been reexamined by gas chromatographic methods to provide a qualitative and quantitative knowledge of the components. These components, shown to be almost entirely straight chain in character, are largely even carbon numbered compounds, but odd chain-lengths are present. The hydrocarbons are likewise of odd and even carbon number with the odd members (90%) predominating. An unidentified compound, possibly an unsaturated steroid diol, has been isolated from the unsaponifiable fraction.

Comparison of some commercial waxes by gas liquid chromatography

“…(2) found, by conventional separation of alkali hydrolysis products: 28% acids, 47% alcohols, 15% hydroxy acids, 6% diols and 6% unidentified. The composition of the methanolysis products was very similar to that given by Downing et al (2). Cinnamic acid derivatives (4) were not detected by the present method.…”

“…It then appeared useful to compare a number of other commercial waxes in the same way. Some hydrolysis products of carnauba (2)(3)(4), ouricury (5), Chinese insect and lac (6), esparto (7), candelilla (5,8) and Japan waxes (9) have been analyzed by GLC, after fractionation by conventional methods, but the whole waxes have not been so examined. Thin layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis has been used to compare unhydrolyzed waxes (10-12), but the indicated components were not completely identified.…”

Cutin, Suberin, and Waxes

“…Alkane-1,2-diols and alkane-a, co-diols probably occur as their diesters and possibly also as mon oesters in some plant waxes Schoenfield, 1955, 1961;Mazliak, 1962Mazliak, , 1963bDodova-Angelova and Ivanov, 1969;Tulloch, 1976); however, intact diesters have not been examined except for the C 5 5 -C 6 6 esters of some short-chain (C 8 -Ci 3 ) diols found in rye and wheat waxes (Tulloch, 1971(Tulloch, , 1973bTulloch and Hoffman, 1974). Other diesters involving fatty alcohols, hydroxy fatty acids, andp-hydroxy-and/7-methoxycinnamic acid, as well as polyesters involving oj-hydroxy acids and diols, have been reported to be present in some plant waxes (Kariyone et aL, 1959;Downing et aL, 1961;Vandenburg and Wilder, 1970;Tulloch, 1973a;. One noteworthy ex ample is the presence of polymers composed of four to six molecules of cohydroxy C 1 2 -C 1 8 acids in gymnosperm waxes (Fugita and Yoshikawa, 1951;Kariyone etaL, 1962;Herbin and Robins, 1968b;CorriganeVa/., 1978;Franich et aL, 1978).…”

Naturally occurring ω‐Hydroxyacids

“…Hydrolysed carnauba wax consists of a complex mixture of n‐alcanols, α , ω ‐alkanediols, n‐alkanoic acids and ω ‐hydroxyalkanoic acids The ω ‐hydroxyacids ranged from 16 through 34 carbons, but the 24‐, 26‐ and 28‐carbon species predominate.…”