Biological activity and structure of natural petroleum acids from Lower oil fractions of "Velebit" oil

Abstract

Natural petroleum acids of naphthenic type such as carboxylic acids from petroleum basins of Vojvodina are interesting because of diverse possibilities for their use, most importantly for their biological activity and the potential use as plant growth stimulators. The paper is concerned with biological activity of natural petroleum acids isolated form "Velebit", oil commercial fraction (168-290 ?C). Petroleum acids were isolated by alkaline extraction and turned into methylesters with diazomethane. Subsequently, group-structure n-d-M-analyses and GC-MS-analysis have been used to determine individual acid structures. Structures of aliphatic. mono and bicyclic acids of average molecular mass 144-326 have been determined. Biological activity of auxine type has been assessed in the K-naphthenate form, and distinct activity was detected in the solutions of 10-7 mol dm-3.