The Alkaline Permanganate Oxidation of Danish Illuvial Organic Matter

Abstract

AbstractOrganic matter extracted from the Bh horizon of a Danish Podzol was oxidized with alkaline permanganate. Steamdistillation of the oxidation product yielded 1.6% aliphatic monocarboxylic acids (on the basis of the original organic matter). The acids were identified by gas chromatography. Acetic acid represented 73% of these acids, while the remaining 27% consisted of n‐ and iso‐acids, containing up to 8C‐atoms. The oxidation product was extracted with organic solvents and the extracts methylated and then vacuum‐distilled. By means of gas chromatography all of the 12 possible benzene carboxylic acids except benzoic acid were identified, accounting for 1.4% of the original organic matter.The possible significance of the acids identified with regard to the chemical structure of the original organic matter preparation is discussed.