Composition ofTordylium aegyptiacum(L.) Lam. Essential Oil

Coconut Laurels: The Leaf Essential Oils from Four Endemic Australian Cryptocarya Species: C. Bellendenkerana, C. Cocosoides, C. Cunninghamii and C. Lividula (Lauraceae)

The leaf oils of four species of Cryptocarya, endemic to Australia, were examined. These species are known colloquially as ‘coconut laurels’ due to the purported distinctive aroma from the crushed foliage. C cocosoides produced an oil in which bicyclogermacrene (3–26%), spathulenol (16–47%), massoia lactone (6-pentyl-5,6-dihydro-2 H-pyran-2-one) (11–15%), (6-heptyl-5,6-dihydro-2 H-pyran-2-one (0.3–3%) and benzyl benzoate (0.2–5%) were the principal components. C cunninghamii showed a second chemotype to that previously published, with benzyl benzoate (80.2%) being the principal component. C bellendenkerana gave a leaf oil in which the major components were the terpenes limonene (8.3%), β-phellandrene (11.8%) and viridiflorene (9.1%). The principal components of the leaf oil of C lividula were bicyclogermacrene (26.1%), spathulenol (21.1%) and β-eudesmol (6.1%). Benzaldehyde and acetophenone were both present in amounts of less than 0.7%. Only C. cocosoides and C cunninghamii have been found to have a ‘coconut’ aroma mainly due to the presence of massoia lactone and homologues.

The Leaf Essential Oil of Eugenia reinwardtiana Growing in Australia

The leaf essential oils of the two chemotypes of Eugenia reinwardtiana (Blume) DC growing in Australia have been investigated. Chemotype 1, isolated in 0.2% yield, w/w, dry weight, contained major amounts of α-pinene (10-26%), limonene (1–15%), β-caryophyllene (0.7–11%), α-humulene (0.9–16%) and bicyclogermacrene (1–23%). The second chemotype, found only on coastal dunes SW of Lockerbie Qld, and isolated in 0.4–0.6% (w/w, dry weight), contained α-pinene (tr −8.5%) β-caryophyllene (12–27%) and α-humulene (1–17%) as the major terpenes. This chemotype also contained the novel aliphatic diketone, 2-butyl-2,4,4-trimethyl-5-methoxycyclohex-5-en-1,3-dione (18–33%), whose structure determination is reported herein.

The Leaf, Wood and Bark Oils of three Species of Myodocarpus (Myodocarpaceae) Endemic to New Caledonia

The leaf, wood and bark oils of three species of Myodocarpus, M. viellardii Brongn. & Gris, M. fraxinifolius Brongn. & Gris and M. lanceolatus Dubard & R. Viguier have been examined. From the wood oil of M. viellardii the major components were α-pinene (22.4%) and a monoterpene methyl ester, methyl myodocarpate (methyl 3,7-dimethylbicyclo [4,1,0]hept-3-ene-7-carboxylate) (61%), based on the δ-3-carene skeleton. Also present in lesser amounts was the corresponding acid, myodocarpic acid (3,7-dimethylbicyclo[4,1,0]hept-3-ene-7-carboxilic acid) and the corresponding alcohol, myodocarpol (3,7-dimethylbicyclo[4,1,0]hept-3-en-7-yl) methanol), in lesser (<3%) amounts. The bark oil contained β-caryophyllene (13.8%) and a series of long chain fatty alcohols, dodecanol, tetradecanol, hexadecanol, octadecanol and octadec-9-en-1-ol in amounts of 1.4–15% (all but octadecanol >11%). The leaf oil of this species produced a sesquiterpenic oil with the principal components being β-caryophyllene (36%), α-humulene (11.1%) and bicyclogermacrene (10.6%). In M. fraxinifolius, both the wood and bark oils contained a series of long chain alcohols, tetradecanol (30–38%), hexadecanol (23–29%) and octadec-9-en-1-ol (12%) as principal components. In the leaf oil of this species the principal component was β-caryophyllene (63%), with lesser amounts of humulene oxide II (2.9%), isocomene (2.8%) and viridiflorol (1.4%). In M. lanceolatus, the leaf oil was dominated by the monoterpene hydrocarbons α-pinene (22.9%) and 5–3-carene (32.6%). In the wood oil of this species the principal components were geraniol (7.4%), citronellol (4.7%), germacrene-B (7.1%), zingiberine (6.8%) and linalool (6.7%), while in the bark oil they were geraniol (12.4%), citronellol (2.6%), germacrene-B (5.8%), and linalool (6.5%).