SIMULTANEOUS ANALYSIS OF MONOTERPENES AND DITERPENOIDS OF CONIFER OLEORESIN

A simple and rapid procedure for the simultaneous determination of mon oterpenes and diterpenoid resin acids of conifer stem oleoresin is des cribed; it involves tissue extraction with methyl tert-butyl ether and methylation of the resin acids with CH2N2. The resin acid methyl este rs and the monoterpenes are then analysed in a single gas chromatograp hic step. Enantiomer composition of the major monoterpene constituents is determined, after preliminary purification by thin layer chromatog raphy, by capillary gas chromatography on a cyclodextrin column. The m ethod is applicable to conifer species of high resin content (lodgepol e pine) and low resin content (grand fir).