Chemial characterization of Cedrus deodara wood extracts using water and molybdenum catalysts

The effect of the presence of some molybdenum catalysts on the amount of extractives in cedar wood has been studied. Autoclave treatment of cedar wood in the presence of some molybdenum catalysts can increase the amount of extracts. While autoclave treatment of cedar wood in water gave 2.85% extractives, the same treatment in the presence of H3PMo12O40 gave 7.51% extractives. In the presence of silica-supported MoO3, the amount of extractives was 5.50%. The extractives obtained using water were partially soluble in chloroform (40.7%). Only 27.6% of the extractives obtained using H3PMo12O40 was soluble in the same organic solvent. When cedar was treated with silica-supported MoO3, 56.4% of the extractives was soluble in chloroform. The extracts can be a source of fatty acids for biodiesel production and simple carbohydrates. The analysis of the chloroform-soluble fraction showed that the autoclave treatment of cedar wood gave 49.7% of a mixture of 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl hexadecanoate, 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl octadecanoate, and 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate. The extractives obtained in the presence of the polyoxometalate molybdenum derivative gave 95% of the same esters of fatty acids, while those obtained in the presence of silica supported MoO3 showed the presence of 93% of the same esters. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) of water-soluble fraction showed the presence of some simple carbohydrates, mainly ribose, xylose, and arabinose.