title: Homologous very-long-chain 1,3-alkanediols and 3-hydroxyaldehydes in leaf cuticular waxes of Ricinus communis L.
abstract: Surface extracts from primary leaves of Castor bean were found to contain 1.8 microg cm(-2) of cuticular waxes. The mixture comprised alkanes (C(26)-C(29)), primary alcohols (C(22)-C(38)), aldehydes (C(26) and C(28)), fatty acids (C(20)-C(34)) and triterpenoids (lupeol, beta- and alpha-amyrin). Besides, a series of n-alkane-1,3-diols was detected, with chain lengths ranging from C(22) to C(28), a strong predominance of even-numbered homologs, and a maximum for hexacosane-1,3-diol. Seven other compounds were assigned to a novel class of wax constituents and identified as homologous unbranched 3-hydroxyaldehydes ranging from C(22) to C(28). As the chain length distribution of this series closely paralleled the homolog pattern of 1,3-diols, it seems likely that both compound classes are biosynthetically related.
authors.affiliation: Julius-von-Sachs-Institut, Universität Würzburg, Julius-von-Sachs-Platz 3, D-97082 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Cornelia P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Vermeer
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nastold
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jetter
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000473:Alkanes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002367:Ricinus communis / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D014885:Waxes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D000447:Aldehydes; D000473:Alkanes; D005227:Fatty Acids; D014885:Waxes