APPLICATION OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY TO THE ANALYSISOF THE COMPLEX VOLATILE MIXTURE OF BLACK-CURRANT BUDS (RIBES NIGRUM L)

The essential oil of blackcurrant buds was fractionated into hydrocarb ons and oxygenated compounds and the two fractions were submitted to r eversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) column. V olatile carbonyls belong among the most important compounds for the bl ackcurrant flavour and were therefore analysed in detail. The carbonyl s were converted into 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones and the mixture of 2 ,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones was separated into derivatives of keto acid s and monocarbonyl and dicarbonyl compounds. Each fraction was submitt ed to HPLC. The results of the HPLC separations are discussed.