Mechanistic aspects of the biogenesis of rose oxide inPelargonium graveolens L'H�ritier

Abstract

Mechanistic aspects of the biogenesis of the chiral monoterpenoid rose oxide in Pelargonium graveolens L'Héritier are investigated using deuterium-labelled precursors. After administration of the precursors using the cut-stem method, the dynamic headspace extracts of the plants are analysed using multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (enantio-MDGC-MS). It is unequivocally shown that this plant is able to convert citronellol and menthocitronellol into cis-/trans-rose oxide. Menthocitronellol is converted into rose oxide with a clearly detectable enantiodiscrimination. These facts may be explained with the presence of an oxidase, which is able to oxidize citronellol and menthocitronellol in allylic position. A photooxygenation mechanism including singlet oxygen as the oxidizing agent is rather unlikely. Chirality 10:229–237, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.