On the genuineness of citrus essential oils. Part LII. Chemical characterization of essential oil of three cultivars of Citrus clementine Hort

The composition of Citrus clementine Hort. essential oil, laboratory-prepared from fruits of di erent cultivars, has been studied. The following cultivars were examined: Comune, Oroval and Monreal. The volatile fraction was analysed by HRGC and HRGC±MS (quadrupole); 69 components were identi®ed. The composition as single components and as classes of substances for each sample and the average composition for each cultivar are reported. The enantiomeric distribution of linalol was studied by HRGC with b-cyclodextrin columns. Polymethoxylated ¯avones, present in the non-volatile residue, were analysed by normal phase HPLC. Six components were identi®ed: tangeretin, 3,3',4',5,6,7,8-heptamethoxy¯avone, nobiletin, tetra-O-methylscutellarein, sinensetin and 3,3',4',5,6,7-hexamethoxy¯avone. Clementine oil composition was then compared with that of Italian sweet orange and mandarin oil.