THE ESSENTIAL OILS OF CINNAMOMUM MOLLISSIMUM AS NATURAL SOURCES OF SAFROLE AND BENZYL BENZOATE

Abstract

The leaf, bark and wood oils of Cinnamomum mallissimum were isolated in 2.65, 1.97 and 0.40% yields, respectively by water-distillation. The components of the oils were identified by co-chromatography with authentic samples on three different capillary columns, capillary GC/MS and nuclear magnetic resonance ('H-NMR).

The main components of the leaf oil were benzyl benzoate and benzyl alcohol which comprised 77.69 and 10.71% of the oil, respectively. The components of the bark and wood oils were very similar to each other except for small differences in the contents of the minor components. The bark and wood oils were almost entirely made up of safinole (93.36 and 98.96%, respectively). The major components of the oils, benzyl benzoate and safrole were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel impregnated with silver nitrate.