Comparative characterization of the distribution of biomarker hydrocarbons in the chemical transformation products of oxygen-containing precursors of petroleum

The distribution of biomarker hydrocarbons in the thermolysis and thermocatalysis products of oxygen-containing compounds (possible petroleum hydrocarbon precursors) was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It was found that n-alkylcyclohexanes and steranes were generated in the course of thermolysis along with expected hydrocarbons—n-alkanes and isoprenes, which resulted from the loss of a functional group. In this case, the molecular-weight distributions of n-alkanes and n-alkylcyclohexanes correlated well with each other. In the course of thermocatalysis, the homologous series of n-alkanes and n-alkylcyclohexanes were also generated; however, an n-alkylcyclohexane distribution maximum had an even number of carbon atoms in the molecule (C₁₈). It was experimentally found that the sterane fragments of oxygen-containing compounds formed upon thermolysis were thermodynamically unstable; this was supported by the formation of biological C₂₇–C₂₉ 5α, 14α, 17α, 20S, and 20R and 5β, 14α, 17α, and 20R (coprostane) steranes as a result of thermolysis. Unlike thermolysis, all of the four epimers of regular C₂₇–C₂₉ (5α, 14α, 17α, 20S, and 20R and 5α, 14β, 17β, 20S, and 20R) steranes were formed as a result of thermocatalysis. It was found that the relative distribution of biomarker hydrocarbons in the thermolysis products of various oxygen-containing compounds largely reflected the structure of the parent organic substance, as compared with that upon thermocatalysis in the presence of active aluminosilicate.