Isolation of Low Polar Hydrocarbons and Phenoxy Acetic Acid from Melicope Denhamii Leaves

Abstract

Mature Leaves of Melicope denhamii were powdered for sequential extraction using petroleum ether and acetone solvents. The extracts obtained were subjected to column chromatography to yield three isolates (1-3). Isolates 1 and 2 were characterized using GC-MS analysis as they were hydrocarbon mixtures. GC-MS analysis identified thirteen constituents from isolate 1, in which heptacosane (24.03%), hexacosane (12.47%), hexadecane (10.18%), octadecane (9.31%), pentacosane (6.12%), tetracosane (3.25%), 1-octadecene (3.14%) were identified as the major compounds. Hexacosane (30.61%), heptacosane (13.02%), octacosane (13.03%), hexadecane (7.11%), tetradecane (5.71%), octadecane (5.13%) and pentacosane (4.01%) were identified as the major compounds in isolate 2. The structure of third isolate was identified using UV, IR, ¹³C, ¹H- NMR, DART-MS methods as 4-Octylphenoxy-acetic acid, which was the first report from this plant.

Keywords

Melicope denhamii, leaves, isolation, hydrocarbons, 4-octylphenoxy acetic acid

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