title: Total synthesis and structural verification of some novel branched alkanes with quaternary carbons isolated from diverse geological sources.
abstract: With a view to the authentication of an unusual series of branched alkanes with quaternary centers (BAQCs) isolated from geological samples, and whose structures rest on the interpretation of EI-mass spectral fragmentation patterns, the total synthesis of 3-ethyl-3-methylheptadecane, 3,3-dimethylheptadecane, 3,3,11,11-tetraethyltridecane, and 5,5,7,7-tetraethylundecane is described. The GC-MS data of the first two samples are identical with those of the isolates and confirm their structures. However, the GC-MS data of the two more highly branched structures do not match those of the geological isolates leading to the conclusion that these structures were erroneously assigned.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607-7061, USA. dcrich@uic.edu
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crich
authors.forename: Huadong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kenig
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D005844:Geology; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D006838:Hydrocarbons