492 THE CHEMISTEY OF ESSENTIAL OILS
- Geraniol ......
- Citronellol
- Mixture of 1 and 2 in equal proportions
Total Alcohols as
Geraniol.
99
Citronellol.
13*7 per cent.
83-4 „
47-3
Formylation of a sample of Palmarosa oil also gave an apparent
citronellol-content of 14 per cent. From these results it is evident that,
assuming the above samples to represent 100 per cent, geraniol and 100
per cent, citronellol, formylation does not do either of the things it is
assumed to do, i.e. it does not completely convert geraniol into terpene,
and it does not completely esterify citronellol.
To ascertain the value of the process as a comparative test a number
of African and Bourbon geranium oils have been examined by the two
processes, with the following results :—
African \
Bourbon J
Total Alcohols as
Geraniol.
Per Cent.
72-8
70-0
79-5
69-3
69-6
76-8
73-0
71-7
70-4
69-7
Citronellol.
Per Cent.
40-0
42-8
33-4
32-0
34-8
33-6
50-2
44-0
46-8
51-0
Percentage Composition of
Alcohols.
Geraniol.
45
39
58
54
50
56
31
39
34
27
Citronellol.
55
61
42
46
50
44
69.
61,
66| 1
73>
These results may be tabulated as follows :—
African ....
Bourbon ....
Citronellol,
Per Cent, on Oil.
32 to 43
44 „ 51
Percentage Composition of Alcohols.
Geraniol.
39 to 58
27 „ 39
Citronellol.
42 to 61
61 „ 73
Compared with the following figures given by MM. Jeancard and
Satie :—
I0r calculated as citronellol, 101*6 per cent.
