Chemical studies on the volatile constituents of seaweed IX : On the volatile constituents of codium fragile

1. The presence of dimethylsulfide was confirmed in the gaseous phase which did not condense during steam distillation.
2. The fraction soluble in sodium bicarbonate solution was separated into two fractions: the water-soluble fatty acids and the water-insoluble fatty acids. The presence of formic, acetic, propionic, butylic, valerie acids in the first fraction was confirmed by paper chromatography. The second fraction was submitted to silica gel column chromatography with methanol as the stationary phase and iso-octane as the mobile phase under a pressure of nitrogen gas, and each of the fatty acids thus separated was characterized as its p-bromphenacylester; the presence of isovaleric, n-caproic, and caprylic acids was confirmed.
3. Phenol fraction was submitted to chromatostrip and presence of p-cresol was confirmed.
4. Carbonyl fraction was fractionated by a chromatoplate and subsequently treated with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The benzene extract of each hyrazone band was column-chromatographed. The presence of benzaldehyde, a-methylfurfural, and furfural was confirmed.
5. Terpene fraction was fractionated with a micro-fractionation apparatus and each of the obtained fractions was submitted to chromatostrip. From their Rf values, color and pressure-boiling point curves, the presence of furfuryl alcohol, terpinolene, 1 : 8-cineol, limlool, geraniol and eugenol was revealed.
6. The principle of aromatic components of Codium fragile is dimethylsulphide, benzaldehyde, α-metylfurfural, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, terpinolene, 1 : 8-cineol, linalool, geraniol and eugenol. The odorous components of C. fragile are formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, isovaleric, n-caproic, caprylic acids and p-cresol.