BMF 36 - C30 Hopanes

Beside Norhopanes (C29, see BMF 7) C30 hopanes are the most common hopanes of sedimentary matter. The origin of the hopanes is the most abundant hopanoid in prokaryotes, C35 tetrahydroxybacteriohopane.

 

Hopanes play an important role in geochemical investigations. The natural isomer

(17
(H),21
(H)) may be found in recent sediments. However, the 
-isomer is always the dominant in mature sediments, while smaller amounts of the
- isomer are present. Only minor quantities of the less stable -isomer are present. Thus, the

- and the -isomers are useful internal standards as they normally do not co-elute with other hopanes or triterpenoids in mature sediment.

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