Norsesquiterpenes as markers of overheating in Indonesian vetiver oil

Vetiver oil from Indonesia (Java type) is characterized by the occurrence of a relatively large series of norsesquiterpenes compared with vetiver oils of other origins. Three major norsesquiterpenes have been isolated from this essential oil and their structures have been elucidated by one-dimensional and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry. Two of them were characterized for the first time, while the third has been reconsidered from the point of view of its relative configuration. Moreover, we clearly demonstrate that these compounds are generated upon thermic degradation of vetiver acids, making them potential markers of overheating during hydrodistillation. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.