Extractives from Cedar deodara and Alnus cordata in the presence of molybdenum catalysts

Soxhlet extraction of cedar wood with ethanol/toluene mixture in the presence of molybdenum catalysts can increase the amount of extracts. The treatment of cedar wood in the presence of H3PMo12O40 gave 7.9% extractives. In the presence of silica supported MoO3, the amount of extractives was 17.0%. The extractives were partially soluble in chloroform (76.5% with silica supported MoO3 and 33% by using H3PMo12O40). The extracts of cedar can be a source of fatty acids for biodiesel production and simple carbohydrates. The analysis of the chloroform soluble fraction showed that cedar wood gave a mixture of 2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl hexadecanoate and 2,3-dihydroxypropyl octadecanoate. GC-MS of water soluble fraction showed the presence of some simple carbohydrates. The treatment of alder in the same conditions gave 3.5% (37.6% soluble in chloroform) extractives when silica supported MoO3 was used and 15.5% (6.1% soluble in chloroform) extractives when H3PMo12O40 was the catalyst. The soluble fraction is a source of fatty acid derivatives, while in the insoluble fraction ribose, glucose and myo-inositol were recovered.