IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR Spectroscopic Studies of Suberin from Beech Barks (Fagus sylvatica L.)

Suberin was extracted from beech barks (Fagus sylvatica L.) with a mixture of dioxane and water (9:1, v/v) solution). The recovered material after precipitating the lignin with ethyl ether, was labelled as suberin. After depolymerization of this material with 14% BF 3 in dry methanol, gas chromatography analysis of the resulted compounds showed the presence of fatty acids, phenolic acids and aldehydes, and proved that it contains suberin. IR, 1 H and 13 C NMR spectroscopic examinations of the extracted suberin revealed the presence of both aliphatic protons and carbons from phenylpropenoid units. These spectra confirmed the depolymerization results and corresponded to the model of suberin proposed by Kolattukudy (1981)