HYDROCARBONS 



327 



The accompanying chart indicates how the large number of Css- to C24- 

 intermediates presumably originate by |S-oxidation, reduction, and/or 

 decarboxylation from octatriacontanoic acid (CH3-(CH2)33-COOH), as 

 shown in Figure 1. 



CH3(CH2).>s-COOH 

 M-Triacontanoic acid 



CH3-(CH2)i3CH:CH(CH2)2CH:CH(CH2)9COOH 



CH3(CH2)i7-CH:CH(CH2)9-COOH 



+ HOH 



CH3 • (CH2)i8 ■ CHOH ■ (CH2)9 • COOH 

 +H2 



CH3 • (CH2)i8 • CHOH • (CH2)3 • CH3 

 n-Nonacosan-10-ol 



Fig. 3. Suggested origin of n-nonacosan-10-ol in waxes. '^^ 



CH,(CH2)28COOH 

 n-Triacontanoic acid 



CH3 • (CH2)i3 • CH : CH • (CH2)2 • CH : CH • (CH2)9 • COOH 



CH, • (CH2)i3 • CH : CH • (CHa)^ • COOH 



CH3 • (CH2)i3 • CHOH • (CH2)i4 • COOH 



CH3 • (CH2)i3 • CHOH • (CH2)i3 • CH3 

 n-Nonacosan-15-ol 



Fig. 4. Suggested origin of n-nonacosan-15-ol in waxes.' 22 



The suggested pathway for the origin of cocceryl alcohol is indicated in 

 Figure 2, that of 7i-nonacosan-10-ol is given in Figure 3, and that of n- 

 nonacosan-15-ol is shown in Fig. 4. 



