Abstract
Extracts of the fresh blossoms of Yellow Sultan (yellow variety of Centaurea moschata L.) were subjected to column chromatographic analysis. Besides an unidentified nonepoxide type carotenoid pigment C_<40>H_<56>O_3,the main epiphasic carotenoids were identified as all-trans-β-carotene-diepoxide, all-trans-luteochrome, and all-trans-neurosporene. Small amounts of aurochrome, flavochrome, flavoxanthin ester, and lutein monoepoxide ester (?) were also detected in their all-trans and cis forms, although α-, β-, or γ-carotene was not found.
