Geraniol and Its Biosynthesis

 

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

FORMULA                 : (CH₃)₂CCH(CH₂)₂C(CH₃)CHCH₂OH

PHYSICAL STATE     : Clear to pale yellow oily liquid with sweet rose odor

MELTING POINT     : 15 ^oC

BOILING POINT       : 229 - 230 ^oC

Geraniol is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol. It is the primary part of rose oil, palmarosa oil, and citronella oil (Java type). It appears as a clear to pale-yellow oil that is insoluble in water, but soluble in most common organic solvents. It has a rose-like scent and is commonly used in perfumes.

Geraniol is one of the most widely used aromatic isolates, indispensable in compounding of rose scents In fact, it forms part of atmost any perfume compound. Thus Geraniol serves extensively in the perfumes, cosmetics, soap and flavour industries.

One of the plants containing geraniol is citronella oil. Production of Citronella oil in Indonesia is one of the biggest crops in the world. It is because land in Indonesia supports for the plant growth. Citronella oil is isolated from Java Citronella leaves (Cymbopogon winterianus jowwit). Nowadays, Citronella oil is exported across the country in its pure oil form so that only little foreign exchange will be obtained from this manufacture. Therefore, efforts to increase its commercial value are needed. In this research, isolation of geraniol, one of chemical components contained in Citronella oil is carried out. This compound has been widely used in field of cosmetics, breeding and health.

Geraniol also find an application as an insect repellents or deterrants. The results of the active fraction Citronella oil can be applied in various industries such as cosmetics products with skin lotion mosquito repellent which is a natural insecticide ingredients are cheap and effective in repel mosquitoes and can be used safely and practically.

BIOSYNTHESIS

 

 

 

BIOSYNTHESIS OF GERANIOL