Bile pigment esters were separated by ascending t.l.c. Apparently pure pigments, obtained by ferric chloride oxidation of crude mesobilirubinogen, derived from commercial bilirubin by reduction with sodium amalgam, were shown to be complex mixtures. Successive chromatography of their dimethyl esters on silica gel in methyl acetate–methyl propionate–dichloromethane–carbon tetrachloride (1:1:1:1, by vol.), ethyl methyl ketone–1,2-dichloroethane (1:2, v/v) and benzene–ethanol (100:3, v/v) revealed two major blue pigments (verdins), six major violet pigments (violins) and a red pigment (rhodin) together with numerous minor components. i-Urobilin dimethyl ester, prepared from mesobilirubinogen by dehydrogenation with aqueous iodine, was resolved into three major and at least four minor components on silica gel–kieselguhr (3:1, w/w) in benzene–ethanol (25:2, v/v). The chemical nature of these pigments was investigated by oxidation, by visible and u.v. spectroscopy, by mass spectrometry and by n.m.r. spectrometry. The evidence suggests unusual rearrangement of bilirubin during reduction leading to the formation of IIIα and XIIIα isomers. Isomeric forms of mesobiliviolin IXα and of i-urobilin IXα may also be formed.
