Cadalenes and norcadalenes in organic-rich shales of the Permian Irati Formation (Paraná Basin, Brazil): tracers for terrestrial input or also indicators of temperature-controlled organic-inorganic interactions?

Abstract Cadalene, isocadalene and a series of norcadalenes were identified in black shales of the Permian Irati Formation in the northeastern and central eastern Parana Basin (Brazil). The origin of their α-isomers with an isopropyl substituent is potentially related to higher plants, and likely reflects the spreading of pteridophytes and gymnosperms after the glaciation of southern Gondwana. A general increase in the relative abundance of isocadalene (1,6-dimethyl-3-isopropylnaphthalene, the β-isomer) co-occurs in with increasing thermal maturity at the base of the Amaral Machado Quarry (northeastern basin), and refers to the acid-catalyzed rearrangement of cadalene (1,6-dimethyl-4-isopropylnaphthalene, the α-isomer) due to the presence of montmorillonite, via an organic-inorganic interaction. This localized and incipient maturation can be related to diabase sills of the Serra Geral Formation. Similar maturation due to heating also affected the distribution of the norcadalenes by thermally stabilizing their α-isomers with an isopropyl substituent, in addition to the formation of related compounds with an ethyl substituent. Based on this, a norcadalene ratio is proposed, which is the sum of the 1,6-dimethyl-4-ethylnaphthalene and 1,6-dimethyl-3-ethylnaphthalene over the sum of the 1-isopropyl-4-methylnaphthalene and 1-isopropyl-7-methylnaphthalene. The results of this ratio and the established cadalene ratio resemble each other whereas samples from the Sao Mateus do Sul Quarry (central eastern basin) were not affected by thermal maturation and are characterized by a uniform distribution of the cadalenes and norcadalenes.