Chemical composition of the bark essential oil of Cercis canadensis L. (Fabaceae)

Abstract

The volatile components from the bark of Cercis canadensis L. (Fabaceae) were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry as well as enantioselective gas chromatography. The bark volatiles were dominated by C6 fatty-acid-derived compounds 1-hexanol (23.3%), hexanoic acid (18.2%), and (2E)-hexenoic acid (3.4%). The concentration of monoterpenoids in C. canadensis bark was low (4.1%), but did allow determination of the enantiomeric distribution of α-pinene (racemic), limonene (exclusively d-enantiomer), linalool and α-terpineol (predominantly l-stereoisomers).