SULFUR CONSTITUENTS OF NEEM SEED VOLATILES - A REVISION

Steam volatiles of neem seed were analysed by capillary GC and GC-MS.cis- andtrans-3,5-Diethyl-1,2,4- trithiolanes were identified for the first time in the volatile constituents of neem seed. Identification was confirmed by co-chromatography with an authentic reference mixture obtained by synthesis. Previous study on the head-space volatiles of neem seed has misassigned these two components ascis andtrans-n-propyl-1-propenyltrisulphides. Re-examination of the constituents ofAllium volatiles on which the above identification was based also confirmed this revision. These findings suggest the need to amend the biogenesis of onion flavour since propyl propenyl trisulphides have been identified as important flavour constituents inAllium species. © 1990 Pergamon Press plc.