ENANTIOMERIC COMPOSITION OF TERPENIC HYDROCARBONS IN ESSENTIAL OILS FROM JUNIPERUS-COMMUNIS L

alpha-Cyclodextrin complexation under appropriate conditions of partit ion gas chromatography has been applied for chiral discrimination of t he hydrocarbon fraction of juniper oils of various origins. The essent ial oils under investigation were obtained from crushed juniper berrie s and leaves cultivated on plantations in Austria, Italy and Poland. I t was found that the main component of the hydrocarbon fraction of alm ost all the juniper oils under investigation was a laevorotatory enant iomer, S(-)-alpha-pinene, and that the ratio of its S to R enantiomer may vary greatly (from 5 to 1) depending on the origin of the material , i.e. the part of the plant (berries or leaves), and the place of its cultivation.