Some Volatile Acids and Esters of Cigarette Smoke

Abstract

The isolation and identification of volatile organic acids and esters contained in the cigarette smoke, which was produced in constant volume continuous smoking by an artificial smoking device, have been studied. Acetic, propionic, n-butyric, isovaleric and β-methyl valeric acid as their p-bromophenacyl esters, and benzoic acid as the crystal of itself, were isolated and identified by mixed examinations, paper chromatographic techniques, infrared spectra and elementary analyses; and the presence of n-caproic acid was estimated. By paper chromatography, ethyl esters of acetic and propionic acid were qualitatively identified, and ethyl esters of n-butyric, isovaleric, and n-caproic and/or β-methylvaleric acid were estimated. Among these compounds, β-methylvaleric acid and all of the esters have not yet been reported in the literature concerning tobacco smoke.