RESOLUTION OF ENANTIOMERIC HYDROCARBON BIOMARKERS OF GEOCHEMICAL IMPORTANCE

Chiral isoprenoid and hydroaromatic compounds occur in all crude oils, coals, shales, and most sediments. Many of these compounds are referred to as biological markers since they are thought to be derived from biological sources and their presence, relative concentrations, or stereochemistry can provide information as to a geological deposit's age, maturity, diagenetic history, and so forth. Because of the previous lack of effective and efficient analytical methodologies for resolving hydrocarbon enantiomers, the stereochemical information encoded in these molecules is largely untouched. A series of derivatized alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin chiral stationary phases (CSPs) were used for the gas chromatographic resolution of several racemic tetralins, indans, and octahydrophenanthrenes as well as cyclic and acyclic isoprenoids. The importance of these separations to the geochemical sciences is considered.