Extractives fom 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 H 3 PMo 12 O 40 gave 7.9 % extractives. In the presence of silica supported MoO 3 , the amount of extractives was 17.0 %. The extractives were partially soluble in chloroform (76.5 % with silica supported MoO 3 and 33 % by using H 3 PMo 12 O 40 ). 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 MoO 3 was used and 15.5 % (6.1 % soluble in chloroform) extractives when H 3 PMo 12 O 40 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.