Organically-bound sulphur in the geosphere : a molecular approach

In this thesis the results of molecular organic geochemical investigations into the structure and origin of organic sulphur compounds (OSC) and sulphur-containing moieties in macromolecular organic matter (i.e. kerogen, coal and asphaltenes) occurring in the geosphere are described. In the first part of the thesis (chapters 2 to 10) a considerable number of novel OSC is identified in immature bitumens and immature crude oils by gas chromatography with sulphur-selective flame photometric detection, gas chromatography- mass spectrometry, Raney-Ni desulphurisation, NMR spectroscopy and, in several cases, synthesis of authentic standards. In the second part (chapters 11 and 12) experiments are described which focus on the nature of organic sulphur in sedimentary macromolecular organic matter as revealed by flash pyrolysis-gas chromatography with sulphur-selective flame photometric detection and flash pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry