Chain Aliphatic Hydrocarbons Research Articles

Influence of inherent mineral matrix on the product yield and characterization from Huadian oil shale pyrolysis

Huadian oil shale was subjected to step-wise acid treatment to remove inherent carbonate and silicate minerals. The original oil shale and its demineralization products (carbonate- and carbonate-silicate-free oil shale samples) were pyrolyzed in a fixed-bed pyrolyzer to determine the mineral matrix effect on product yield and characteristics of shale oil and gases. The shale oil yields of original, carbonate-free, and carbonate-silicate-free oil shale samples were 50.4 wt.%, 44.3 wt.%, and 50.3 wt.% (values on dry and mineral matter-free basis), respectively, which indicated that carbonates promote, while silicates suppress, shale oil production. Coking of aromatic compounds appeared to be the dominant mechanism accounting for the variation of the shale oil yield. Elimination of the carbonate minerals decreased the nitrogen- and oxygen-containing compounds of shale oil, while removal of silicates increased the oxygenated compounds. Both carbonate and silicate minerals decreased the atomic H/C ratio of shale oil. Silicates promoted the cracking and aromatization of aliphatic hydrocarbons, which increased the short-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons of shale oil, as well as C1–C4 hydrocarbons and H2 yields. On the contrary, carbonates suppressed the cracking of long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons.

Characterization of CRM Binders with Wax Additives Using an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and an Optical Microscopy

Abstract This paper investigates the change in micromorphology of two binders and their respective warm mix asphalt binders before and after aging using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical microscopy. The control (PG 64-22) and crumb rubber modified (CRM) binders were blended with two different types of wax additives (L, a wax-based composition including crystal controller, and S, a long chain aliphatic hydrocarbon) and then artificially short-term and long-term aged using the rolling thin film oven and pressure aging vessel procedures. L is a wax based composition including crystal controller and S is a long chain aliphatic hydrocarbon. The AFM tapping-mode imaging technique was used to analyze the microstructure and the Superpave asphalt binder test was used to measure the rheology properties. In general, the results of this study indicated that (1) a correlation was observed between the changes in micromorphology (the distribution of dispersed domains and matrix) and rheology properties regardless of the aging, binder, and wax types; (2) the addition of crumb rubber into the base binder decreased the dimension of the catana phase (“bee-like”) structure, which increased the quantity of these structures; (3) the opposite trend was found between the aged control binder and the aged CRM binder regarding the size of the bee-like structure; (4) the long-term aging seemed to have a significant effect on the microstructures of the warm control and CRM binders; and (5) the inclusion of S and L was observed to have a similar trend for both binder types in terms of increased size of the bee-like structure and no bee-like structure, respectively.

Enabling the synthesis of medium chain alkanes and 1-alkenes in yeast

Microbial synthesis of medium chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, attractive drop-in molecules to gasoline and jet fuels, is a promising way to reduce our reliance on petroleum-based fuels. In this study, we enabled the synthesis of straight chain hydrocarbons (C7–C13) by yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae through engineering fatty acid synthases to control the chain length of fatty acids and introducing heterologous pathways for alkane or 1-alkene synthesis. We carried out enzyme engineering/screening of the fatty aldehyde deformylating oxygenase (ADO), and compartmentalization of the alkane biosynthesis pathway into peroxisomes to improve alkane production. The two-step synthesis of alkanes was found to be inefficient due to the formation of alcohols derived from aldehyde intermediates. Alternatively, the drain of aldehyde intermediates could be circumvented by introducing a one-step decarboxylation of fatty acids to 1-alkenes, which could be synthesized at a level of 3mg/L, 25-fold higher than that of alkanes produced via aldehydes.

Mechanism, ab initio calculations and microkinetics of hydrogenation, hydrodeoxygenation, double bond migration and cis–trans isomerisation during hydrotreatment of C6 secondary alcohol species and ketones

Hydrotreatment of secondary hexanone and hexanol, and primary hexene species was investigated over the sulphide-form NiMo/γ-Al2O3 heterogeneous catalyst within the process temperature range 200–275°C. The mechanistic microkinetic model for a three-phase slurry reactor was developed, comprising the mass transfer flux from the dispersed gaseous H2 bubbles to liquid solvent bulk, the external convective resistance at catalytic surface interface, material lattice adsorption and desorption, and intrinsic conversion kinetics (homogeneous and catalysed). It reported the reaction rate constants and activation energies for ketones and alcohols. Intermediate alkene isomers were identified and quantified, demonstrating the same reactive selectivity regardless of the cascade reactant compound. Furthermore, the C6 olefin isomerisation studies under pressurised hydrogen and nitrogen (up to 9.5 times slower) atmospheres indicated a similar equilibrium distribution of the concentrations of 1-hexene, cis-2-hexene, trans-2-hexene, cis-3-hexene and trans-3-hexene. The position of the oxygen-containing (heteroatom) functional group on an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain exhibited only a minor kinetic effect on parallel and serial hydrogenation or de-hydroxylation steps. Quantum chemical (QC) calculations utilising density functional theory (DFT) computational framework were performed to elucidate the mechanism of hydrodeoxygenation (HDO). The competing main and side pathways were considered in calculating transition state barriers. Simulations showed a very good agreement with measured experimental data. Deoxygenation valorisation routes were examined as they are vital upon converting ligno-cellulosic biomass resources and for the production of the bio-based platform oxygenates in bio-refineries. Hexose(s), for example, are (poly)alcohols, the monomer building blocks of cellulose, which is besides lignin and hemicellulose the principal wood, grass and straw constituent.

Sulfur-Free Prevulcanization of Natural Rubber Latex by Ultraviolet Irradiation in the Presence of Diacrylates

Natural rubber (NR) latex was prevulcanized by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in the presence of different diacrylate coagents. Prevulcanization was affected by the aliphatic hydrocarbon chain length of the coagents. The following diacrylate coagents with increasing aliphatic hydrophobic chain lengths were used: 1,4-butanediol diacrylate (BTDA), 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA), and 1,9-nonanediol diacrylate (NDDA). Oxygen inhibition of the free-radical reactions of prevulcanization and the effects of the inert CaCO3 filler (concentration range = 0–40 parts per hundred rubber) on properties of the prevulcanized NR films were investigated. The hydrocarbon chain length of the coagent influenced its hydrophobicity and therefore its affinity toward NR, and this affected the prevulcanization outcomes. HDDA showed the greatest affinity for NR and thus was the most suitable coagent for prevulcanization of NR. Prevulcanization via UV irradiation was insensitive to oxygen and the filler tested. The CaCO3 filler prov...

Co-hydrotreatment of tire pyrolysis oil and vegetable oil for the production of transportation fuels

Catalytic hydrotreatment followed by products isomerization is an effective technology to convert vegetable oil to a green fuel composed of straight and branched chain aliphatic hydrocarbons. The content of aromatics in this fuel is very low. In this paper we study the co-hydrotreatment of vegetable oil and tires oil in the presence of a CoMo/Al2O3 catalyst as a way of utilizing existing infrastructure created for vegetable oil processing for tire oil up-grading in order to obtain fuel cuts with aromatics. Hydrotreatment studies with different vegetable oil/tires oil blend ratios were conducted. The yield and composition of the resulting hydrotreated oils are reported. Aliphatic hydrocarbons ranging from C7 to C20 derived from vegetable oils and aromatics from C6 to C16 derived from the tire oil were identified as products. The resulting oils were then successfully distilled into naphtha, kerosene, diesel and gas oil cuts. The yield, chemical composition and the fuel properties of the transportation fuel cuts obtained are reported and compared with commercial petro derived fuels.

Particulate Size Distribution and Sources Evaluation of n-Alkanes during Long-Term Haze Episode around Chaohu Lake, Eastern China

ABSTRACTn-Alkanes (from nC16 to nC32) associated with particulate matters were determined in the ambient air around Chaohu Lake, Eastern China, from October to December in 2014 during a long-term haze episode. The total concentrations of particle bounded n-alkanes varied from 332 to 2500 ng m–3, with the homologues of nC24–nC30 the most abundant species. Spatial analysis revealed that low concentrations of n-alkanes existed at the sites close to Chaohu Lake, while high concentrations were generally at locations distant from the lake. For all aggregated fractions, most n-alkanes were distributed in fine particles with the mean geometric mean diameter (GMD) varying from 3.0 ± 0.6 µm for nC16 to 2.1 ± 0.6 µm for nC32. Short chain n-alkanes were accumulated in coarse particles with a unimodal distribution, but long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons appeared to have a biomodal distribution in fine and coarse particles. The mass size distribution of individual n-alkane homologue was predominantly influenced by its volatility; thus GMDs were well correlated with the logarithmically transformed subcooled liquid vapor pressures (PLo, Pa) of n-alkanes at each sampling site, following the equation: GMDs = mgLogPLo + bg. Furthermore, mg and bg obtained from all locations tended to exhibit a significant linear correlation. This suggests that all saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons follow a similar accumulation mode during a haze episode, which allows us to predict the size distribution and GMD of a compound based on its PLo.

Estimations of Polycyclic Aliphatic Hydrocarbon and Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon in Aquatic Faunas Found in Foccardos Terminal River in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Increasing water bodies and water inhabitants’ pollution has posed a great global concern as aquatic animals are continually endangered with effluents from various sources. Polycyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons are Poly Nuclear Aliphatic Hydrocarbons and organic matter without fused ring and contains hydrogen and carbons invariably with or without substituent attached to it, Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) is a term used to describe a large family of several hundred chemical compounds that originally come from crude oil. In this study, Petroleum hydrocarbons such as Petroleum Aliphatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) and Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) were analyzed for in the seven sampled aquatic animals using Gas Chromatographic technique. Petroleum Aliphatic Hydrocarbons attained higher concentrations in n-hexadecane, tetracosane and tetradecane with concentration values of 0.49 ± 0.29, 0.59 ± 0.94 and 0.97 ± 0.64 mg/kg respectively. It was found in this study that even chain aliphatic hydrocarbons were found in all the samples and dominated the odd chains aliphatic hydrocarbons. Heavy weight Aliphatic Hydrocarbons like hexacosane and triaconane were not detected in all the tested aquatic animals as Octacosane was found in only three of the aquatic animals while hexatricontane was found in only one of the samples. Odd chain aliphatic hydrocarbons like Nonane and Nonadecane attained their highest concentrations of 0.19 ± 0.15 and 0.33 ± 0.45 mg/kg respectively. It was gathered from the results of this experiment that Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) is greater than the aliphatic petroleum hydrocarbons in all the tested aquatic faunas from the Forcados River. TPH and TAH recorded maximum concentrations of 3.64 ± 0.94 and 3.46 ± 0.91 mg/kg respectively

Modification of lignites via low temperature ionic liquid treatment

Two lignite samples (150–212μm) were treated with four ionic liquids (ILs); 1-butylpyridinium chloride ([Bpyd][Cl]), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([Emim][DCA]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim][Cl]) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tricyanomethanide ([Bmim][TCM]) at 100°C for 3h to establish the utility of ILs for lignite pre-treatment in conversion processes. ILs are room temperature molten salts that have remarkable physical and chemical properties including high thermal and electrochemical stabilities, low vapour pressures and, critically for this work, the capacity to solubilise a diverse range of materials. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and optical microscopy were employed in this study to gain insight into the physical and chemical interactions occurring between lignite and ILs at low temperatures. The FTIR results indicate that the majority of the ILs employed were able to break apart the macro-structure of coal resulting in an increase in short chain aliphatic hydrocarbons. Additionally, FTIR analysis revealed a significant decrease in the presence of COOH and CO groups for lignites treated with [Emim][DCM]. The TGA data revealed that the IL treated lignites had significantly lower devolatilisation temperatures than the untreated lignite, indicating an increase in lower molecular weight species after treatment. Microscopy showed a sizeable decrease in particle size after IL treatment due to fragmentation, and these coals appeared to be considerably swollen. Analysis of the recovered ILs showed no denaturing after the treatment process, indicating their recyclability potential in the treatment process.

Patterned alignment of nematic liquid crystals generated by inkjet printing of gold nanoparticles and emissive carbon dots on both flexible polymer and rigid glass substrates

ABSTRACTPatterned homeotropic alignment using nanoparticles (NPs) was achieved using inkjet printing. Two types of gold NPs, one smaller and one larger in core diameter (2 and 5 nm) capped with a monolayer of dodecanethiol, and emissive carbon dots with a core diameter of 2.5 nm featuring a mixed ligand shell of carboxylic acid groups and aliphatic hydrocarbon chains were tested on both rigid glass and flexible polycarbonate substrates. To define the director across the entire cell and not just in the NP-printed areas, alignment ‘underlayers’ were tested, and 30° obliquely evaporated SiOx as alignment ‘underlayer’ generally provided the best results with the highest quality of the homeotropic alignment as well as the best contrast at the boundary between printed and non-printed (i.e. homeotropic and planar) domains of the fabricated cells. We also report that the chemical nature of the nematic liquid crystal (LC) used, the number of layers printed and the composition of the nano-ink need to be adjusted to obtain pattern alignment devices that positively benefit from both the properties of the LC and the nanomaterial printed.

Study of the suitability of two ammonium-based ionic liquids for the extraction of benzene from its mixtures with aliphatic hydrocarbons

The ammonium-based ionic liquids butyltrimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [N4111][NTf2] and tributylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [N4441][NTf2] have been studied as separation agents on the extraction of benzene from its mixtures with the long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons octane, decane and dodecane. The liquid–liquid equilibria of the ternary systems {octane (1) + benzene (2) + [N4111][NTf2] (3)}, {decane (1) + benzene (2) + [N4111][NTf2] (3)}, {dodecane (1) + benzene (2) + [N4111][NTf2] (3)} and {dodecane (1) + benzene (2) + [N4441][NTf2] (3)} at T = 298.15 K and {octane (1) + benzene (2) + [N4441][NTf2] (3)} at T = (298.15, 308.15 and 318.15) K and atmospheric pressure were determined. From the experimental results, an analysis of the influence of the cation of the ammonium-based ionic liquids and the alkyl chain length of the aliphatic hydrocarbons was performed; together with a study of the effect of the temperature on the liquid-liquid extraction of benzene. The extraction effectiveness was evaluated by the calculation of solute distribution ratio and selectivity derived from the tie-lines compositions. Besides, a comparison of the obtained results with those found in literature for systems with sulfolane, which is the most industrially used solvent, was performed. Finally, the experimental tie-lines were correlated using the NRTL thermodynamic model.

A novel high-performance thin layer chromatography method for quantification of long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons from Cissus quadrangularis

Context: A high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) is an analytical technique, which can be used for the determination of constituents or marker components in various parts of the plants. Earlier studies have estimated phytoconstituents from the stem and other aerial plant parts of Cissus quadrangularis Linn. Estimation of hydrocarbons can also be successfully done using HPTLC technique using suitable derivatization. Aims: To develop and validate a simple and rapid method for the estimation of long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons from the leaves of C. quadrangularis using HPTLC technique. Methods: Precoated silica gel 60 F254 plates were used as stationary phase. The mobile phase used was hexane (100 %). The detection of spots was carried out using berberine sulphate as detecting reagent. Results: The method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. Linearity range was found to be 2-10 µg/mL, limit of detection 0.127 µg/mL, and limit of quantification 0.384 µg/mL. Conclusions: A novel, simple, accurate, precise and sensitive HPTLC method has been developed and validated for the estimation of long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons obtained from the leaves of C. quadrangularis Linn.

Syntheses of cardanol-based cationic surfactants and their use in emulsion polymerisation

AbstractSix quaternary ammonium salts were designed and synthesised with moderate to high yields in three steps, based on cardanol, a low-cost and abundant renewable resource. The new ammonium salts can act as reactive surfactants due to their having both a hydrophilic ammonium group and a hydrophobic unsaturated alkyl chain. The gemini surfactants with a linker of a linear saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon chain exhibited a relatively low CMC value(≤ 0.2 mmol L

Click chemistry inspired facile synthesis and bioevaluation of novel triazolyl analogs of D-(+)-pinitol

Cu (I)-catalyzed alkyne–azide cycloaddition was carried out for the preparation of novel 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles of D-(+)-pinitol. All the analogs were screened for cytotoxicity against promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60), colorectal carcinoma (HCT 116) and pancreatic carcinoma (Mia-Paca-2) cancer cell lines using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity assay. Compounds 2, 3 and 7 showed the best activity with IC50 of 19.2, 17.5 and 16.4μM against leukemia (HL-60), colorectal carcinoma (HCT 116) and pancreatic carcinoma (Mia-Paca-2) cell lines respectively. All the triazolyl analogs were further evaluated for β-glucosidase inhibitory activity, wherein, the deprotected derivatives: 6a, 18a and 25a showed better activity with IC50 of 148.5, 139.2 and 142.4μM respectively. The structure activity relationship (SAR) studies revealed that the analogs with bromo, nitro or methyl groups in R (substituted phenyl moiety attached to 1,2,3-triazole) moiety exhibited better cytotoxicity, while as, the analogs with N-substituted long chain aliphatic hydrocarbon R moieties displayed effective β-glucosidase inhibition.

Application of biosurfactant produced by Ochrobactrum intermedium CN3 for enhancing petroleum sludge bioremediation

The low water solubility of oil sludge and other petroleum hydrocarbon compounds is a major problem for their bioremediation. In this paper biosurfactant enhanced bioaviabability and subsequent degradation of oily sludge was investigated for that purpose, an efficient biosurfactant producing and oil sludge degrading bacterial strain CN3, identified as Ochrobactrum intermedium according to 16S rRNA gene sequencing, was isolated from wood treatment plant soil. The biosurfactant exhibited a high level of thermal stability, tolerance to extreme levels of salinity and a positive effect for increasing pH. The biosurfactant was identified as glycolipopeptidal after Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and biochemical compiosition analysis. The ability of the isolate to degrade petroleum sludge and the effect of its biosurfactant on biodegradation enhancement was tested in liquid culture experiments. The isolate degraded up to 40% of the hydrophobic long chain aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in liquid cultures with 4% (v/v) crude oil sludge while the biosurfactant amended microcosm showed up to 70% degradation of the most hydrophobic components of the petroleum sludge in 3 weeks. This suggests the potential application of the isolate and its biosurfactant in bioremediation of contaminated environment and microbial enhanced oil recovery.

The Thermal Degradation Behaviour of a Series of Siloxane Copolymers - a Study by Thermal Volatilisation Analysis

The thermal degradation behaviour of novel high number average molecular mass polysilalkylenesiloxanes is reported. These have been synthesised using anionic ring-opening polymerisation of 1,1,3,3,14,14,16,16-octamethyl-2,15-dioxa-1,3,14,16-tetrasilacyclohexacosane and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) mixtures. The thermal degradation behaviour of these materials was evaluated by a combination of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and thermal volatilisation analysis (TVA) and compared with a commercial sample of PDMS. The results demonstrated that the thermal degradation of the polysilalkylenesiloxanes is more complex than the PDMS, with the polysilalkylenesiloxanes exhibiting a lower degradation peak maximum temperature. The major volatile degradation products evolved from the PDMS were identified as D3 to D6 cyclic siloxane oligomers, in addition to higher molecular mass cyclic siloxane oligomers. The polysilalkylenesiloxanes, on the other hand, evolved short chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, cyclic and linear siloxane oligomers and silanes. The TVA results indicate that the polysilalkylenesiloxanes degrade mostly by random chain scission of the polymer backbone, whereas the commercial PDMS degrades by the accepted depolymerisation reaction which involves “back-biting” reactions.

Towards understanding the behavior of indigo thin films in organic field-effect transistors: a template effect of the aliphatic hydrocarbon dielectric on the crystal structure and electrical performance of the semiconductor.

Here we report a systematic investigation of indigo thin films grown on different dielectric underlayers. It has been revealed that aliphatic hydrocarbon chains serve as templates inducing the formation of a new crystal modification of indigo which possesses advanced charge transport properties and affords a dramatic improvement in the electrical performance of organic field-effect transistors.

Bioactive compound from Pseudomonas synxantha inhibits the growth of Mycobacteria

Tuberculosis is a dreaded disease and the current situation demands new anti-tubercular agent(s) for the management of public health. Towards this direction, we obtained a contaminant organism on a Mycobacterium smegmatis lawn having growth inhibitory activity against the later. In the current study, efforts were targeted to identify this organism and characterize the bioactive compound from this isolate that inhibited the growth of Mycobacteria. The result revealed that the organism is a strain of Pseudomonas synxantha. Biophysical analyses including 1H and 13C NMR, ESI-mass spectroscopy, FTIR showed that the bioactive compound is a long chain aliphatic hydrocarbon with a terminal alyl bond and intermediate electronegative atom. The compound exhibited strong growth inhibitory activities against M. smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains H37Ra, H37Rv and BCG. Further experiments showed that both P. synxantha and its secretory metabolites are capable of inducing hemolysis of human blood. Thus the results of this study clearly indicate that the bioactive compound produced by P. Synxantha has biosurfactant activities as well as anti-myco-bacterial properties.

Molecular self-assembly: Hypothesized for “hair” of Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri (Pennsylvanian-age seed-fern)

Hoffmann (1827) erected the Carboniferous pteridophyll species Neuropteris Scheuchzeri without mentioning, nor illustrating, “hair” in the species' diagnosis. However, one to five millimeter-long hair-like structures on the abaxial pinnule of the species, called hair or trichome in the literature, have been routinely used since 1847 as one of the main taxonomic character states for determining the identity of this species. Results from preparatory and microscopic observations, together with infrared spectrochemistry, have clarified that these structures are not the same as trichomes for the following reasons. The hair-like structures of M. scheuchzeri (1) are not organically attached to the abaxial surface; (2) differ spectrochemically from the organic material of the lamina; (3) are composed, in contrast with the trichomes, of relatively long, unbranched aliphatic (polymythelinic) hydrocarbon chains [CH2)]n, and (4) are acellular and black, unlike true trichomes of the species that are multicellular. Overall, the sum-total of these experimental results supports the postulate for dynamic molecular self-assembly. For this reason the term “extracuticular deposit” is proposed, reflecting the origin and emergent nature of such hair-like structures in the abaxial pinnule.

Analysis of n-alkanes in the cuticular wax of leaves of Ficus glomerata Roxb.

Leaf cuticle was covered by epicuticular wax consisting mainly of straight chain aliphatic hydrocarbons with a variety of substituted groups. The studies of cuticular characters of leaves had played an important role in chemotaxonomy. An n-hexane extract of fresh and mature leaves of Ficus glomerata, containing a thin layer of epicuticular waxes was analyzed for the first time by Thin Layer Chromatography, Infrared Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography and Scanning Electron Microscopy using standard hydrocarbons. The leaves contained 18 identified long chain (C15–C33) n-alkanes except C23 accounting for 68.82% of the hydrocarbons, and an unknown number of unidentified branched chain alkanes. The predominant n-alkanes were C16 (5.92%), C17 (6.18%), C27 (5.11%), C29 (5.29%), C31 (5.47%), whilst C15 (4.21%), C18 (4.57%), C26 (3.88%), C28 (3.53%), C30 (3.43%) n-alkanes were moderately abundant. The C19 (2.53%), C20 (2.52%) and C22 (2.16%) homologues were present only in minor amounts. SEM views were also taken for epicuticular layers and hydrocarbons of the leaves. Qualitative and Quantitative characterization of n-alkanes present in the epicuticular wax can be used as an effective tool in chemotaxonomical work.