Natural Products Of Woody Plants: Chemicals Extraneous To The Lignocellulosic Cell Wall (springer Se

Wood as found in trees and bushes was of primary importance to ancient humans in their struggle to control their environment. Subsequent evolution through the Bronze and Iron Ages up to our present technologically advanced society has hardly diminished the importance of wood. Today, its role as a source of paper products, furniture, building materials, and fuel is still of major significance. Wood consists of a mixture of polymers, often referred to as lignocellulose. The cellulose micro fibrils consist of an immensely strong, linear polymer of glucose. They are associated with smaller, more complex polymers composed of various sugars called hemicelluloses. These polysaccharides are embedded in an amorphous phenylpropane polymer, lignin, creating a remarkably strong com­ posite structure, the lignocellulosic cell wall. Wood also contains materials that are largely extraneous to this lignocellulosic cell wall. These extracellular substances can range from less than 1070 to about 35% of the dry weight of the wood, but the usual range is 2% -10%. Among these components are the mineral constituents, salts of calcium, potassium, sodium, and other metals, particularly those present in the soil where the tree is growing. Some of the extraneous components of wood are too insoluble to be ex­ tracted by inert solvents and remain to give extractive-free wood its color; very often these are high-molecular-weight polyphenolics. Front Matter....Pages I-XLI Historical Uses of Extractives and Exudates....Pages 1-13 Natural Products Chemistry — Past and Future....Pages 13-25 Fractionation and Proof of Structure of Natural Products....Pages 27-124 Evolution of Natural Products....Pages 125-153 Carbohydrates....Pages 155-178 Amino Acids, Proteins, Enzymes, and Nucleic Acids....Pages 179-200 The Alkaloids....Pages 200-257 Simple Organic Acids....Pages 259-274 Complex Aliphatic and Alicyclic Extractives....Pages 274-299 Fats and Fatty Acids....Pages 299-304 Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Function of Suberin and Associated Waxes....Pages 304-367 Monoaryl Natural Products....Pages 369-399 Gallic Acid Derivatives and Hydrolyzable Tannins....Pages 399-438 Lignans....Pages 439-511 Stilbenes, Conioids, and Other Polyaryl Natural Products....Pages 512-533 Flavonoids....Pages 533-570 Biflavonoids and Proanthocyanidins....Pages 571-651 Condensed Tannins....Pages 651-690 Terpenoids....Pages 691-807 Steroids....Pages 808-842 Contribution of Extractives to Wood Characteristics....Pages 843-860 The Role of Wood Exudates and Extractives in Protecting Wood from Decay....Pages 861-880 Effect of Extractives on Pulping....Pages 880-920 Effect of Extractives on the Utilization of Wood....Pages 920-931 Health Hazards Associated with Extractives....Pages 931-952 Naval Stores....Pages 953-978 Gums....Pages 978-988 Significance of the Condensed Tannins....Pages 988-1027 Rubber, Gutta, and Chicle....Pages 1028-1050 Other Extractives and Chemical Intermediates....Pages 1051-1058 Pharmacologically Active Secondary Metabolites from Wood....Pages 1059-1164 The Future of Wood Extractives....Pages 1165-1195 Back Matter....Pages 1197-1243 The present book gives an extensive overview of all relevant natural products extractable from woody plants. The chemical properties of these products, their biosynthesis within the cell and the evolution of the respective primary and secondary pathways in woody plants are described. Various carbohydrates, sugars or oligosaccharides, nitrogeneous extractives, such as proteins or alkaloids as well as terpenoids, waxes, lignans, steroids are treated in detail. The role of these exudates and extractives in protecting wood, their effects on the utilization of wood and especially the frequent utilization of extractives by man are discussed.