198 PHILIPPINE RESINS, GUMS, AND OILS 



COMPOSITION OF ILANG-ILANG OIL 



Parry states that investigations of ilang-ilang oil have shown 

 that it contains esters of benzoic and acetic acids, also linalool, 

 cadinene, pinene, P-cresol methyl ether, geraniol, and iso-eugenol. 

 Parry is of the opinion that in addition to these substances, 

 ilang-ilang contains other compounds, as a synthetic oil closely 

 resembling the natural oil has been prepared commercially. 

 Probably a considerable amount of research has been done on 

 ilang-ilang, but for trade reasons the investigators do not care 

 to publish their results. 



Bacon * performed a number of experiments to determine the 

 composition of ilang-ilang oil and concluded that it contained 

 formic, acetic, valerianic ( ?) , benzoic, and salicylic acids, all 

 as esters ; methyl and benzyl alcohols ; pinene and other terpenes, 

 linalool, geraniol, safrol, cadinene and other sesquiterpenes; 

 eugenol, iso-eugenol, p-cresol, probably as methyl ethers ; and 

 cresol. He then prepared a synthetic oil in order to test the 

 accuracy of his studies on the composition of ilang-ilang oil. 

 His synthetic ilang-ilang contained the following substances 

 (proportions not stated) : methyl benzoate; benzyl acetate and 

 formate; benzyl methyl ether (trace) ; benzyl valerianate 

 (trace) ; methyl salicylate; benzyl benzoate; cadinene; safrol; 

 iso-eugenol-methyl ether ; eugenol ; cresol ; methyl anthranilate 

 (trace) ; p-cresol-methyl ether; p-cresol acetate. This mixture 

 gave an odor very similar to good ilang-ilang oil. From the 

 results of his own work and that of others Bacon concluded : 



* * * ylang-ylang oil has a composite odor, derived from that of 

 many constituents. While it is possible to make a very good artificial 

 ylang-ylang oil, I do not believe that distillers of the best quality of ylang- 

 ylang oil have much to fear from this competition, as the odor of a first- 

 class oil seems to have more permanence than that of the artificial product. 

 This is a result, I believe, of the presence of sesquiterpene alcohols and 

 fragrant resins in the former. 



GROWTH OF CANANGIUM ODORATUM 



This species has been grown in plantations at Los Bafios. 

 Only one lot of seeds was planted, and this showed a very low 

 percentage of germination, 3.2 per cent. It is uncertain as to 

 whether or not this low percentage was due to poor seed. The 

 trees have done well in plantations. The average rates of grov^ 

 of considerable numbers are given in Table 34. 



* Bacon, R. F., Philippine terpenes and essential oils, II. Ylang-ylang 

 oil. Philippine Journal of Science, Section A, Volume 3 (1908), page 86. 



