Acyclic alkanes separation

The hydrocarbons fraction can be separated into aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon subtractions, again on the basis of the greater polarity of the aromatics. Traditionally, the aliphatic hydrocarbons (or saturates) are described in terms of their paraffinic (acyclic alkane) and naphthenic (cycloalkane) content. Strictly, the term hydrocarbon should only be applied to compounds containing H and C atoms, but there are usually other compounds present in the hydrocarbons fraction isolated by simple chromatographic procedures that contain an atom of S, O or N (generally in the aromatics subtraction). 

Since 1971 Maxwell s group at Bristol used these methods to separate and identify the stereochemistry of isoprenoidic acyclic alkanes . Whereas most acyclic isoprenoids in nature appear functionalized (alcohols, acids, alkenes, etc.), they are found in the geoenvironment as fossil alkanes. Hence it is important not only to analyse the structural isomers, but also to determine the stereochemistry. 

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