[The identification of carotenoids from leaves and algae separated by thin-layer chromatography]

Carotenoids from leaves (Avena, Spinacia, Veratrum, Elodea, Potamogeton) and other tissues of higher plants (Solanum, Taxus, Daucus) and from Chlorella and Euglena were identified and characterized employing new methods in thin-layer chromatography (HAGER and MEYER-BERTENRATH, 1966).The following criteria were used for the identification procedure:1.The absorption maxima in different solvents such as hexane, benzene, chloroform, ethanol, and carbon disulphide. 2. The absorption spectra in these solvents and the shape of the short wave maximum, which is characteristic for the α- or β-ionone structure. 3. Co-chromatography with synthetic or isolated carotenoids. 4. Iodine induced cis-trans isomerizations and the formation of stereoisomers. 5. The acid catalyzed conversion of epoxides into the isomeric furanoid oxides and the measurement of hypsochromic shift of the absorption maxima. 6. Reduction of keto group containing pigments to the hydroxy compounds. 7. Determination of the different formation velocity of mono- or diethers of hydroxy groups in the allyl or non-allyl position.THe following pigments were characterized and their relative position on partition and adsorption thin-layer chromatograms was determined: α-carotene, β-carotion ξ-carotene, γ-carotene, lycopene, α-carotene-5,6-epoxide, α-cryptoxanthin, lutein-5,6-epoxide, violaxanthin, lutein, antheraxanthin, neoxanthin, neoxanthin Neo A, zeaxanthin, rhodoxanthin.Deviations of the newly determined absorption maxima from the data cited in the literature, part of which is erroneous, can be learned from tables.