Volatile constituents in mosses (Musci)

The essential oils of mosses of the genera Mnium, Plagiomnium, Homalia, Plagiothecium and Taxiphyllum (Musci) have been investigated by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The new sesquiterpenes (+)-10-epi-muurola-4,11-diene and 10,11-dihydro-alpha -cuparenone were isolated by preparative e gas chromatography and identified as major constituents of the hydrodistillation products of Mnium hornum (Hedw.) using NMR and mass spectrometry. In addition, (+)-dauca-8,11-diene and two new butenolides. 3.4,5-trimethyl-5-pentyl-5H-furan-2-one and 3.4-dimethyl-5-pentyl-5H-furan-2-one were identilied as constituents in Plagiomnium undulatum (Hedw.) T. Kop. Although the amounts of volatiles present in the investigated mosses are generally smaller than in liverworts, the spectrum of terpenoid compounds is similar. The investigated mosses also generate aliphatic compounds of greater abundance and structural variety. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.