JASMINE

Description

Jasmine grows extensively around the Mediterranean basin, especially on the Cote d’Azur and in Sicily. Today the entire Mediterranean area is actively participating in the cultivation of jasmine. The plant normally grows fairly tall to facilitate the harvesting of the white, odoriferous flowers; the plant is pruned so as not to exceed a height of 1 to 1.5 m (39 to 59 in.). Cultivation is done by transplanting from greenhouses into areas where adequate irrigation is available and where the temperature never drops below 5°C. The species, Jasminum grandiflorum, is sometimes grafted onto J. officinale to render the latter more resistant to harsher atmospheric conditions. Jasmine normally blooms from June to September. The only part used is the flowers, which must be harvested before dawn. Jasmine has a warm, intensely floral aroma.
The derivatives are concrete and absolute essence. The concrete is extracted from flowers using petroleum ether with an average yield of approximately 3%. It is a waxy, brownish-red mass. It smells like jasmine and is partially soluble in 95 to 96% ethanol.
The absolute essence is obtained by extraction of the concrete with 95 to 96% ethanol using special techniques. The yields range between 42 and 55%. The physical-chemical constants of the absolute essence vary depending on the origin of the concrete essence. The absolute derived from Italian concrete (yield, approximately 5 5%) is a yellowish-brown liquid.
It contains alcohols (nerol, nerolidol, terpineol, etc.), benzaldehyde, benzylacetate, linalyl acetate, phenols (p-cresol, eugenol), acids, and ketones (jasmone). By distilling the absolute essence with superheated steam at reduced pressure (35 to 40 mmHg) and at 88 to 92°C, an essential oil is obtained in yields up to 23.5% based on the original concrete.

Chemical properties

Jasmine grows extensively around the Mediterranean basin, especially on the Cote Azure and in Sicily. Today the entire Mediterranean area is actively participating in the cultivation of jasmine. The plant normally grows fairly tall; to facilitate the harvesting of the white odoriferous flowers, the plant is pruned so as not to exceed a height of 1 to 1.5 m (39 to 59 in.). Cultivation is done by transplanting from greenhouses into areas where adequate irrigation is available and where the temperature never drops below 5°C. The species J. grandiflorum is sometimes grafted onto J. officinale to render the latter more resistant to harsher atmospheric conditions. Jasmine normally blooms from June to September. The only part used is the flower, which must be harvested before dawn. Jasmine has a warm, intensely floral aroma

Composition

Flowers contain benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, linalool, phenyl-acetic acid, methyl anthranilate, farnesol, cis-3- hexynyl acetate, cis- and trans-linalool oxide, nerolidol, cis-jasmone, trans-jasmone, cis- and trans-ethyl jasmonates, jasmolactone, δ-jasmonic acid lactone and methyl dehydrojasmonate.