The vapor pressure and vaporization enthalpy of pristane and phytane by correlation gas chromatography

The vapor pressure and vaporization enthalpy of pristane and phytane, two compounds of interest to paleobotanists investigating the antiquity of life, have been evaluated and compared to existing values by correlation gas chromatography. Vapor pressures have been evaluated from T= (298.15-550) K for both pristane and phytane. Both sets of values were fit to a second order polynomial. Comparison with existing literature values for pristane over the temperature range T= (315-452) K are generally in agreement as is the vaporization enthalpy evaluated at the mean experimental temperature reported in the literature, T= 383.4 K. Similar experimental properties for phytane are not available. Comparison of vapor pressures and vaporization enthalpy of a structurally similar isomer of phytane, however, are quite good. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd.