Mechanisms of flash pyrolysis of ether lipids isolated from the green microalga Botryococcus braunii race

Abstract

Two types of ether lipids isolated from the microalga Botryococcus braunii have been subjected to flash pyrolysis. The pyrolysis products were separated and analyzed by GC/MS. The nature and distribution of the pyrolysis compounds gave clues to the different mechanisms involved in the pyrolysis of ether-linked alkyl chains. The relatively abundant presence of alkenes, alkadienes, alken-9-ones and alken-10-ones with chain lengths corresponding to those of the ether-bound alkyl chains indicated that the cleavage of the C---O bond is an important first step in the pyrolysis process.