Retention index database for identification of general green leaf volatiles in plants by coupled capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A series of ubiquitously occurring saturated and monounsaturated six-carbon aldehydes, alcohols and esters thereof is summarised as 'green leaf volati les' (GLVs). The present study gives a comprehensive data collection of ret ention indices of 35 GLVs on commonly used non-polar DB-5, mid-polar DB-170 1, and polar DB-Wax stationary phases. Seventeen commercially not available compounds were synthesised. Thus, the present study allows reliable identi fication of most known GLV in natural plant volatile samples. Applications revealed the presence of several seldom reported GLVs in headspace samples of mechanically damaged plant leaves of Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatic a. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.