Suberin from extractive-free cork from Quercus suber L. was depolymerised by methanolysis using different sodium methanolate (NaOMe) concentrations. 1 % and 3 % NaOMe completely removed suberin from cork (54 %-56 % of extractive-free cork), but for lower concentrations there was incomplete solubilisation; with 0.05 % NaOMe, only approximately 80 % of total suberin was removed. The monomeric composition of the extracts differed significantly: for the 0.05 % NaOMe, only alkanoic acids and diacids were found; the yield of co-hydroxy acids increased with reactant concentration, as well as alkanols and ferulic acid. Results from light scattering, SEC and MALDI-MS showed that soluble oligomeric fragments containing suberinic acids were present in the methanolysis mixture. The molecular weight of these oligomeric fragments decreased with higher sodium methanolate concentrations.

doi.org/10.1515/HF.2001.080
Holzforschung

Bento, M. F., Pereira, H., Moutinho, M. C., van den Berg, K.-J., Boon, J. J., van den Brink, O. F., & Heeren, R. (2001). Fragmentation of suberin and composition of aliphatic monomers released bij methanolysis of cork from quercus suber L., analysed bij GC-MS and MALDI-MS. Holzforschung, 55, 487–493. doi:10.1515/HF.2001.080