Chemistry and Analysis of Organic Compounds in Dinosaurs

Simple Summary Fossils of dinosaurs other than birds are at least 66 million years old. Nevertheless, many organic compounds have survived fossilization and can still be found in the fossils. This article describes the discovery of organic molecules in dinosaur fossils. It provides a review of the analytical methods used for their detection and characterization, and presents the wide range of chemical organic compounds, including small molecules and polymers, that have been found in dinosaurs to date. The difficulties in unambiguously confirming the presence of some of the organic molecules in these fossils are also discussed. This review provides an overview of organic compounds detected in non-avian dinosaur fossils to date. This was enabled by the development of sensitive analytical techniques. Non-destructive methods and procedures restricted to the sample surface, e.g., light and electron microscopy, infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy, as well as more invasive approaches including liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, and immunological methods were employed. Organic compounds detected in samples of dinosaur fossils include pigments (heme, biliverdin, protoporphyrin IX, melanin), and proteins, such as collagens and keratins. The origin and nature of the observed protein signals is, however, in some cases, controversially discussed. Molecular taphonomy approaches can support the development of suitable analytical methods to confirm reported findings and to identify further organic compounds in dinosaur and other fossils in the future. The chemical properties of the various organic compounds detected in dinosaurs, and the techniques utilized for the identification and analysis of each of the compounds will be discussed.