Leaf wax of oats

Abstract

Leaf wax of oats (Kelsey variety) consists of hydrocarbons (5%), esters (10%), free alcohols (45%), free acids (2.5%), β-diketone (5.5%), hydroxy-β-diketones (2.5%), and unidentified (29%). Wax on leaf blades contains more free alcohols than wax on leaf sheaths, and wax on the flag leaf sheath contains more β-diketone than wax on the rest of the plant. Principal hydrocarbons are C29, C31, and C33. The esters, mainly C44-C48 and C52, are probably C18-C22 and C26 esters of hexacosanol. Free alcohols are almost entirely hexacosanol. The β-diketone is hentriacontane-14, 16-dione. Hydroxy β-diketones are a mixture of 5-, 6- and 7-hydroxyhentriacontane-14, 16-diones in the proportions 58∶35∶7. The wax also contains a small amount (0.5%) of 1,16-hexacosanediol.