Abstract:

The reaction products of a new pine gum catalytic disproportionation were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using HP-5MS flexible quartz capillary column. Forty-five peaks were separated and 38 compounds were identified. It was found that the main product of the disproportionated turpentine from pine gum was p-cymene (16.26%), and the main chemical compositions of disproportionated rosin were dehydroabietic acid (41.58%) and hydrogenation resin acid (21.43%). In addition, the mechanism of pine gum catalytic disproportionation was preliminarily investigated based on the analysis results. The results showed that resin acids of pine gum produced the intermolecular hydrogen transfer reaction, and the dehydrogenation of resin acids was promoted by the solvent effect of terpenes. It was indicated that the double ring monoterpene in the turpentine of pine gum was converted into monocyclic ring monoterpene by ring-opening isomerization reaction, and then into p-cymene by catalytic dehydrogenation in the presence of resin acids. Based on the results it was also found that the superfine disproportionated rosin and high contents of p-cymene could be obtained from pine gum using the novel process.

Key words: catalytic disproportionation
, pine gum, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)