PYROLYSIS MASS-SPECTROMETRY AND PYROLYSIS-GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY OF ESTER-LINKED AND ETHER-LINKED PHENOLIC-ACIDS IN COASTAL BERMUDAGRASS CELL-WALLS

Coastal bermudagrass cell walls were treated with 2 M NaOH at room temperature and subsequently with 4 M NaOH at 170 degrees to determine the amounts of esterified and etherified phenolic acids, respectively. In addition, total phenolic acids were determined by direct treatment of the cell walls with the 4 M treatment. Treatment with 2 M NaOH removed ester-linked p-coumaric, ferulic, truxillic and truxinic acids. Further treatment of the cell wall residue with 4 M NaOH at elevated temperature removed ether-linked phenolic acids. Pyrolytic methylation gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the residue after 2 M NaOH treatment showed the presence of a small amount of ether-linked truxillic and truxinic acids. Data from the sequential sodium hydroxide and direct 4M sodium hydroxide treatments showed that a total of 13.3% of the p-coumaric acid and 45.4% of the ferulic acid was ether-linked. A substantial portion of these ether-linked acids was present as a base-soluble fraction of the 2 M treatment.