Alkyl-substituted cis-bicyclo[3.3.0]octanes, potentially informative crude oil constituents

Abstract

A number of 2- and 3-alkylbicyclo[3.3.0]octanes have been detected in seven oil samples which have been generated in different depositional environments and which exhibit varying maturity as revealed by biomarker and aromatic maturity indicator analyses. The presence of these hydrocarbons was established by performing SIM GC-MS and GC coelution on the basis of the mass spectra and the GC properties of synthetic standards, alkyl = methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl. The methylbicyclo[3.3.0]octanes were much more abundant than their homologs. As a rule the amount of a 2-alkylbicyclo[3.3.0]octane was larger than the amount of the 3-substituted analog. © 1990.