Authentication of bitter almond oil and cinnamon oil: application of the SNIF-NMR method to benzaldehyde.

摘要

Adulteration of bitter almond oil (mainly benzaldehyde; derived from kernels of Prunus amygdalus [P. dulcis] or other kernels containing amygdalin) and cinnamon oil [mainly trans-cinnamaldehyde; from bark of Cinnamomum aromaticum] can be detected bymeans of the SNIF-NMR method using benzaldehyde as a molecular probe. It is demonstrated that the site-specific deuterium contents of benzaldehyde allow determination of the origin of the molecule: synthetic (toluene or benzal chloride), natural (kernels from apricots, peaches, cherries or bitter almond), or semisynthetic (cinnamaldehyde extracted from cinnamon). Transformation of cinnamaldehyde into benzaldehyde was used as a means of studying the origin of cinnamaldehyde. An analytical method for routine characterization of the genuineness of bitter almond and cinnamon oils is proposed. Estimates are made of the repeatability of the 2H-NMR measurements on benzaldehyde and the capability for both proving and quantifying adulterations.