THERMALLY ASSISTED TRANSMETHYLATION GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY OF SUBERIN COMPONENTS IN CORK FROM QUERCUS-SUBER L

Thermally assisted transmethylation gas chromatography - mass spectrom etry with tetramethylammonium hydroxide has been applied for the quali tative and quantitative analysis of the suberin fraction of wax-free c ork. With this method, hydrolysis of esters together with methylation of carboxylic and hydroxylic groups was observed. Mostly long chain al iphatic components, such as alkanols, alkanoic acids, omega-hydroxyaci ds, alpha,omega-alkanoic diacids, and several 9,10-epoxy and 9,10-dihy droxy forms have been found in keeping with results of other workers i n the field. Two other components that may give a more complete view o f the architecture of suberin were also found, namely the phenolic com pound ferulic acid, and glycerol which is probably esterified to carbo xylic groups of the aliphatic building units of suberin. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.