Novel hopanoid derivatives released by oxidation of Messel shale kerogen

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(97)00261-5

Oxidation of Messel shale kerogen using ruthenium tetroxide yielded several series of hopanoid triterpenes which have been identified by synthesis. These compounds could originate from hopanes or hopanes of bacterial origin linked to the kerogen; their structures indicate that incorporation processes into macromolecular entities of their biological precursors must occur at a rather early stage of diagenesis.