Mass spectra of methyl-branched hydrocarbons from eggs of the tobacco hornworm

Abstract

Hydrocarbons from three homologous series of branched alkanes from the eggs of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.), were identified by mass spectrometry. Gas–liquid chromatography (GLC) peaks 37-A (equivalent chain length of 37.2) and 39-A (equivalent chain length of 39.2) were mixtures of 13-, 15-, 17-, and 19-methylheptatriacontane and 13-, 15-, 17-, and 19-methylnonatriacontane, respectively. GLC peaks 33-B, 37-B, and 39-B with equivalent chain lengths of 33.4, 37.4, and 39.4, respectively, were mixtures of 13,17- and 15,19-dimethyltritriacontane, 13,17-, 15,19-, and 17,21-dimethylheptatriacontane, and 13,17-, 15,19-, and 17,21-dimethylnonatriacontane, respectively. GLC peak 37-C (equivalent chain length of 37.6) was a mixture of 11.15,19-, 13,17,21-, and 15,19,23-trimethylheptatriacontane.

Keywords

• methyl-branched alkanes
• gas–liquid chromatography
• insects