Chemical examination of the wax from needles of black spruce (Picea mariana) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea)

Abstract

A waxlike substance extracted from the needles of black spruce by means of petroleum ether gives, upon saponification, capric, lauric, myristic, pentadecanoic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, arachidic, behenic, lignoceric acids, and one acid not identified. Acids of the C-20 to C-24 series constitute approximately 38% of the total acids. The unsaturated acids present are mostly of the C-18 series. The acids were identified by the gas–liquid chromatography (g.l.c.) of their methyl esters.The constituent acids of the waxlike substance from balsam fir needles are capric, lauric, myristic, pentadecanoic, palmitic, palmitoleic, heptadecanoic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, arachidic, behenic, lignoceric, and about 7 more, not identified. The acids of the C-20 to C-24 series are present to the extent of ca. 20%. About 55% of the acids are of the C-18 series, which is mostly unsaturated. There are present certain unsaturated acids, ca. 5%, of the C-20 to C-22 series.10-Nonacosanol has been isolated from the unsaponifiable matter remaining after saponification of the waxlike substances from black spruce and balsam fir foliage. Its identity has been established by infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry.