Separation and characterization of vanadylporphyrins from Romashkino petroleum

A combination of extraction and adsorption chromatography was employed for the separation of vanadylporphyrins present in the asphalt of the petroleum from the locality Romashkino (U.S.S.R.). Mass spectrometric analysis revealed that the vanadylporphyrin concentrates contained alkylporphyrins of the etio type and monocycloalkanoalkylporphyrins of the deoxophylloerythroetio type, in both cases with 27-36 carbon atoms in the molecule, and alkylbenzoporphyrins of the rhodo I type with 30-36 carbon atoms in the molecule. The etio type was established to be the predominant porphyrin type.