Pyrolysis chromatography of lipids. I. Mass spectrometric identification of pyrolysis products of hydrocarbons

The products of pyrolysis at 600C of normal paraffins C₁₀−C₁₈, 2-methyl octadecane, 4-methyl octadecane, 6-methyl octadecane, cyclohexyl decane, cyclopentyl decane, 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethyl nonane, pristane and phytane were studied by means of a pyrolysis gas chromatograph directly coupled to a mass spectrometer. n-Paraffins yield a homologous series of n-olefins. Branched paraffins yield two homologous series, one of n-olefins and one of branched olefins. The n-olefin corresponding to the position of the branch is not formed. Interpretation of pyrolograms is similar in principle to the interpretation of mass spectra. Presented at the Symposium on “Mass Spectrometry of Lipids”, AOCS Cincinnati, October 1965.