BMF 37 - 2-Methyl and 3-methyl hopanes

Three kinds of C31 methylhopanes have been identified as constituents of ancient sediments and oils. These are 2α-, 2β-, and 3β-methylhopanes.

 

Triterpanoids from the hopane family isolated from living organisms (“biohopanoids”) are typically derived from the C30 17β,21β framework. They are the precursors of the many hopanoids encoun-tered in sediments (“geohopanoids”) which often possesses the thermodynamically more stable 17α,21β configuration and to a lesser extent 17β,21α. Methylhopanes are typically present at between 2 and 10% of the abundance of hopanes in oils and rock sources.

Download the BMF newsletter here!

Share