Xanthophylls (originally phylloxanthins) are yellow pigments that occur widely in nature and form one of two major divisions of the carotenoid group; the other division is formed by the carotenes. The name is from Greek xanthos (ξανθός, "yellow") and phyllon (φύλλον, "leaf"), due to their formation of the yellow band seen in early chromatography of leaf pigments.
The molecular structure of xanthophylls is similar to that of carotenes, but xanthophylls contain oxygen atoms, while carotenes are purely hydrocarbons with no oxygen. Xanthophylls contain their oxygen either as hydroxyl groups and/or as pairs of hydrogen atoms that are substituted by oxygen atoms acting as a bridge (epoxide). For this reason, they are more polar than the purely hydrocarbon carotenes, and it is this difference that allows their separations from carotenes in many types of chromatography. Typically, carotenes are more orange in colour than xanthophylls.
This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
beautiful and bright… very promissing to
ReplyDeleteHave a splendid, ♥-warming ABC-Wednes-day / -week
♫ M e l d y ♪ (ABC-W-team)
http://melodyk.nl/23-X
That's a beautiful photo.
ReplyDeleteFabulous image. I never thought about the components of autumn colors. Until now!
ReplyDeleteGreat information to know and lovely photo...Michelle
ReplyDeleteso if you get a yellow, woode thing, it'd ne a item of Xtraordinary beauty
ReplyDelete