Study on the Components of Musk. I. Ether Soluble Components

Abstract

Ether soluble components of musk have been investigated by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. As indicated in the list of identified constituents (Table II), they were proved to be predominantly steroidal : eleven androstane derivatives, cholesterol and its esters, and cholest-4-en-3-one, in addition to wax and muscone. Characteristic feature of cholesterol esters and wax was that they are the esters derived from very long chain fatty acids of C₁₄ through C₄₀ in which branched ones were predominant except C₁₆ and C₁₈. Wax alcohols were found to have almost exclusively branched chain (C₂₀ to C₃₄).