Minor constituents of the acetone-soluble lipids of red-clover (Trifolium pratense) leaves.

Weenink (1961) has shown that the major components of the acetone-soluble lipids of red-clover leaves are composed of galactosyl glycerides, but there is no knowledge of the identity of the remaining constituents of the acetone-soluble fraction. From earlier observations in this laboratory (Weenink, 1961; Shorland, 1961) it appeared that, apart from galactosyl glycerides, the acetonesoluble lipids of leaves of forage plants contained a small amount of lipid material resembling triglycerides in chemical behaviou'r. The hydrolysis products, however, contained a large proportion of unsaponifiable matter and a correspondingly small amount of fatty acid; and although glycerol could be detected in the aqueouis hydrolysates it was not possible to ascertain the nature of the lipids present. This paper reports the isolation of triglycerides, diglycerides, sterol esters, free sterols and normal hydrocarbons from the acetone-soluble lipids of red-clover leaves.