Essential Oils from the Queensland Flora. Part XVI. Eucalyptus microcorys.

Abstract

SINCE the extensive investigations of Baker and Smith on the essentialnoils of the Australian Eucalypts, very little work has been donenon these important oils. Meanwhile great advance has been made innterpene chemistry and chemical technique and it was thought that oilsnfrom some of the more abundant species of Eucalypts could, withnadvantage, be sulbjected to a more thorough investigation.The essential oil of Eucalyptus microcorys was chosen as it growsnabundantly in southern Queensland, where it is cut for its timber knownnas Tallowwood.The essential oil was a light-yellow mobile oil, smelling strongly ofncineol.Baker and Smith recorded the presence of pinene, cineol, volatilenaldehydes and sesquiterpenes. We have confirmed these observationsnand also have shown the presence of isoamyl isovalerate, borneol,nbornyl acetate, and butyrate, and have proved the volatile aldehydenpresent to be isovaleric aldehyde. Also a small quantity of a carbonylncompound was isolated but not identified. n n