Isolation, Fractionation, and Identification of Sucrose Esters from Various Oriental Tobaccos Employing Supercritical Fluids

Isolation, fractionation, and identification of sucrose esters from aged oriental tobacco employing supercritical fluids have been completed. Underivatized sucrose ester-rich extracts were obtained using supercritical CO₂ at densities greater than 0.73 g/mL. Lower density CO₂ provided extracts with notable amounts of tobacco derived material; yet, no detectable sucrose ester content. Preparative supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) provided for an additional purification of the sucrose ester-enriched fraction after column optimization. Structural assignments of the SFC fractions were facilitated using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) accompanied by N, O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide-dimethylformamide (BSTFA-DMF) derivatization of the free hydroxyl groups and high performance-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS). From a relative quantitative perspective regardless of tobacco type, sucrose esters having an acetyl group on C₆ of the glucose function (Group III) were in higher concentration compared to both the concentration observed for sucrose ester of Group I (acetyl group on C₃ of fructose) and sucrose ester of Group II (no acetyl group on either glucose or fructose). Saturated fatty acid constituents were found to range from a maximum total of 18 carbons to a minimum total of 13 carbons. Unsaturated and isomeric fatty acid homologues were detected within the Group II sucrose ester.