Studies on the Antarctic Whale Oils by Gas-Liquid Chromatography Using a Hydrogen Flame Ionization Detector. V.

Identification of 3, 7, 11, 15-Tetramethylhexadecanoic Acid as a Constituent of Whale Oil

Abstract

A main component of multibranched-chain fatty acids, separated earlier from fin whale blubber oil and from blue whale bone oil, has been conclusively identified by means of high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared and mass spectrometry, and gas-liquid chromatography as 3, 7, 11, 15-tetramethylhexadecanoic acid.
This acid was synthesized from phytol for comparison with the naturally occurring multibranched-chain fatty acids.
In addition, the acid was present in minor amounts in the blubber oils from sei whale and from sperm whale.