Page 37 - Pharmd general phytochemistry I-Final2024_LEUCTERS
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Source: Lemon grass oil (Citronella grass).
Uses:
Citral has a powerful odor and taste of lemons.
It is used in the compounding of synthetic lemon flavors and in
perfumery.
Aromatic aldehydes:
Benzaldehyde
Source:
Bitter almond and apricot kernels in glycosidic form “Amygdalin”.
Isolation:
Benzaldehyde is produced as a result of the action of enzyme emulsin on
the glycoside amygdalin in an aqueous mixture of ground almond:
These volatile oils contain benzaldehyde, and the toxic HCN. The HCN is
removed by shaking the oil with milk of lime, and ferrous sulphate and
allowing the mixture to stand for a long time, then distilling the
benzaldehyde which liberated with steam.
By this treatment the HCN is converted into calcium ferrocyanide which is
not volatile:
2 HCN + Ca(OH) → Ca(CN) + 2 H O
2 22
3 Ca(CN) + Fe SO → Ca Fe(CN) + Ca SO
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Uses:
Used as flavoring agent in food stuffs.
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