THE SEED OIL OF BERNARDIA-PULCHELLA (EUPHORBIACEAE) - A RICH SOURCE OF VERNOLIC ACID

The fatty acids from the seed oil of Bernardia pulchella (Euphorbiacea e) have been analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrome try (MS) analysis of their methyl esters. Vernolic acid is the main co mpound (91%), along with other usual fatty acids. In addition to the q uantitation by GC analysis, H-1-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signa ls from the seed oil have been used to estimate the total epoxy fatty acid content. The structure of vernolic acid has been proven by spectr oscopic methods (infrared, H-1, and C-13-NMR) and by GC-MS analysis of the corresponding silylated hydroxy-methoxy derivative. The 4,4-dimet hyloxazoline derivatives of the fatty acid mixture have also been exam ined by GC-MS, and it was shown that this derivatization reaction is n ot suitable for the structure analysis of vernolic acid.