Sesquiterpenes galbanum

Semmler and. lonas have isolated a sesquiterpene alcohol, from oil of galbanum. It yields a hydrochloride melting at 117° to 118°. 

A. F. Thomas, M. Ozainne, New sesquiterpene alcohols from galbanum resin the occurrence of C (10) epi sesquiterpenoids, Helv. Chim. Acta, 61(8), 2874 2880 (1978). 

In addition to 75% monoterpene hydrocarbons (Oa-pinene 5-21% /7-pinene 40-70% 3-carene 2-16%) and ca. 10% sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, galbanum oil contains a fairly large number of terpene and sesquiterpene alcohols and their acetates. Minor components, with entirely different structures and low odor threshold values, contribute strongly to the characteristic odor [284a, 515-519]. Examples are as follows ... 

Galbanum Ferula galbaniflua Boiss., F. rubricaulis Boiss. 2-Methoxy-3-isobutyl pyrazine, 5-sec-butyl-3-methyl-2-butenethioate, 1,3,5-undecatriene as minor components, and monoterpene hydrocarbons (75), sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (10), lactones umbeUic acid, umbeUiferone... 

Composition Genuine essential oils consist exclusively of volatile components with boiling points mainly between 150 and 300 °C. They contain predominantly hydrocarbons or monofunctional compounds such as aldehydes, alcohols, esters, ethers, and ketones. Parent compounds are mono- and sesquiterpenes, phenylpropane derivatives, and longer-chain aliphatic compounds. Accordingly, essential oils are relative non-polar mixtures, i.e., they are soluble in most organic solvents. Often the organoleptic properties are not determined by the main components but by minor and trace compounds such as, e.g., 1,3,5-undecatrienes and pyrazines in galbanum oil. In many of the commercially important oils, the number of identified components exceeds 100. Very many of the constituents are chiral, frequently one isomer predominates or is exclusively present, e. g., (- )-menthol in peppermint oils or (-)-linalyl acetate in lavender oil. 

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