Organic compounds from the Rhaetic-Liassic coals of Scoresby Sund, East Greenland

Abstract

A large number of aromatic and hydroaromatic hydrocarbons were detected by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry from the bituminous coals. A minor part consists of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons in which the distribution of normal alkanes in the range C₂₄ to C₃₂ shows a similarity to that of recent plant material with an odd/even distribution rate higher than one. A relatively high amount of pristane is present which is not known in higher plants. A heterocyclic compound, dibenzofuran, was isolated and characterized, and a methyl dibenzofuran seems to be present. Monoterpenoid compounds and minor amounts of acids were detected; myristic and palmitic acids were characterized as methyl esters. The coal is derived from the Kap Stewart Formation which bears a well-known fossil flora dominated by gymnospermous plants and without angiosperms. Some of the extracted organic compounds are present in recent gymnosperms. In recent material dibenzofuran and derivatives are only known in lichens and one angiospermous species.