GAS–LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY OF TERPENES: PART IX. THE VOLATILE OIL OF THE LEAVES OF JUNIPERUS SABINA L.

Abstract

The chemical composition of the volatile oil of the leaves of local savin juniper and of commercial oil of savin was determined by an improved gas chromatographic technique. Both oils contain d-sabinyl acetate (38, 37.5%) and d-sabinene (30.5, 26%) as the major constituents. Smaller amounts of d,α-pinene, d-myrcene, d-limonene, γ-terpinene, p-cymene, d-isothujone, d-terpinen-4-ol, d-sabinol, d-citronellol, d-cadinene, and l-elemol were isolated. Trace amounts of α-thujene, camphene, α-terpinene, 1,8-cineole, terpinolene, thujone, geraniol, a cadinene isomer, and δ-cadinol were tentatively identified. A fraction having the typical pungent odor of juniper leaves was isolated, but it was found to consist mainly of the methyl ester of d-citronellic acid. Several unidentified oxygenated sesquiterpenes and a phenol ether were isolated in trace amounts.Some phylogenetic relationships with other thujone-bearing oils analyzed in this series are discussed.