Chemical compositions of essential oils of five introduced conifers in Corsica.

The aim of this survey was to determine the chemical composition of essential oils (EO) of five conifers acclimated in Corsica by GC(RI), GC-MS and (13)C NMR. L. decidua needle and wood EOs contained as majors components: α- and β-pinenes, germacrene D (needles) and bornyl acetate (wood). The EOs of needles, wood and cones of P. menziesii were characterised by β- and α-pinenes, terpinen-4-ol, sabinene, terpinolene (needles and wood), Δ-3-carene (wood) and limonene (cones). Needles and wood EOs of P. ponderosa contained as major components: β- and α-pinenes, Δ-3-carene (wood) and estragole (needles). S. giganteum EOs of foliage and wood were rather similar and dominated by α-pinene, and safrole. The EOs of leaf, wood and cones from C. japonica were very similar, and exhibited α-pinene, sabinene, β-elemol and kaurene as major constituents. It appeared that EO compositions of some species were different from reported literature data.