COMPARISON OF ORGANIC EXTRACTIVES FOUND IN LEATHERWOOD (EUCRYPHIA-LUCIDA) HONEY AND LEATHERWOOD FLOWERS AND LEAVES

Hotrienol (3,7-dimethyl-1,5,7-octatrien-3-ol, II) is the principal aroma component detected by headspace analysis in leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida) honey. It arises from the dehydration of 2,6-dimethyl-3,7-octadiene-2,6-diol (I), the principal terpene in methylated and unmethylated ether extracts of leatherwood honey. The diol I was detected in leatherwood plant extracts. Methylated ether extracts of the honey also contained methyl 2-hydroxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)acetate (III), which has not been previously reported in honey, in addition to many other aromatic substances. Compound III was a major component of the acidic fraction of the plant extract. A methylated extract of unripe leatherwood honey collected after 1 week in the hive was found to contain methyl 2-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate (IV) and an unidentified compound [m/z 91 (100), 180] as the principal components. The unidentified compound found in immature honey was not detected in the plant extracts.