Abstract
Structural identifications of geochemically significant straight-chain fatty acids and esters in coal extracts were carried out by linked scanning mass spectrometry together with field desorption mass spectrometry. The results obtained demonstrate the usefulness of the technique for direct analysis of complex mixtures to elucidate detailed molecular structures of individual constituents. The extracts of lignites contain straight-chain fatty acids with C 24 to C 34 and long-chain fatty esters with C 48 to C 64, the latter being missing from subbituminous coals and neither is found in those of bituminous coals. The free fatty acids, the acyl and the alkoxyl groups of esters all extend from C 24 to C 34 and are qualitatively similar to each other in carbon-number distribution indicating that they were probably derived from common precursor compounds. The presence and/or absence of fatty acids and fatty esters parallels the rank of coals and may be connected with chemical changes brought about during maturation, such as hydrolysis of the esters, conversions of the acids into paraffins, etc.
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