Abstract
The complete analysis of the neutral volatile oil of the leaves of Eastern white cedar (Thujaoccidentalis L.) by means of gas–liquid chromatography was attempted. The mixture of terpenes was resolved into 28 monoterpenoid components and the major ones were isolated in 5- to 20-mg amounts. Comparison of infrared spectra and retention times with those of authentic specimens led to the positive identification of d-α-pinene, camphene, sabinene, d-limonene, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, l-fenchone, l-α-thujone, d-isothujone, camphor, and bornyl acetate. α-Thujene, β-pinene, myrcene, 1,8-cineole, terpinolene, and terpinen-4-ol were tentatively identified. The percentage composition of a commercial sample of the oil and of one obtained from a tree grown in Saskatoon was determined. The latter oil contained 7.0 to 7.5% of sesquiterpenoid components, which were resolved into four peaks on polyester columns at 180 °C.