Volatile Components of Bartlett Pear. V.

SUMMARY The volatile essence of fresh, ripe Bartlett pears was separated into individual compounds by repetitive gas-liquid chromatography. Techniques used for characterization included retention data; infrared, ultraviolet, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectroscopy; melting points, and formation of appropriate derivatives. The compounds identified include: ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol, n-pentanol, n-hexanol, n-octanol; methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-hutyl, n-pentyl; n-hexyl, n-heptyl, and n-octyl acetate; and the methyl and ethyl esters of n-octanoic, 3-hydroxyoctanoic, trans :2-octenoic, n-decanoic, cis:4-decenoic, trans:2-decenoic, trans :2-cis:4-decadienoic, and trans:2-trans:4-decadienoic acids. Possible biosynthetic pathways for the formation of the higher-boiling methyl and ethyl esters are discussed.