Volatile Components of Clove Essential Oil (Eugenia caryophyllus SPRENG): Neutral Fraction

Abstract

The neutral fraction of clove essential oil was studied using silica gel fractionation and Girard T reagent extraction. The four fractions obtained with the first method according to odor assessment contained successively terpenic and sesquiterpenic hydrocarbons, carbonyls and esters, sesquiterpenic alcohols and a lactone.
18 compounds were identified by mass spectrometry and retention time determination or PMR: α-tujene, β-muurolene, β-selinene, cubenene, hexanal, 2-hexanone, 6-methyl-5-heptene-2-one, fenchone, geranial, furaldehyde, 5-methyl furaldehyde, cuminaldehyde, acetophenone, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, methyl linoleate, benzyl benzoate and γ-decalactone, and 3 were tentatively identified by mass spectrometry: propyl benzoate, benyl salicylate and palustrol.