The use ofN-alkylcarbamates in sample mapping of terpene alcohols

Carbamates (I) of terpene alcohols (e.g. menthol, borneol, citronellol, nerol, geraniol) were used to develop a method for characterization and mapping of alcohol components in complex essential oils using GC, GC-MS and GC-FTIR data and the almost quantitative reaction of the primary and secondary alcohols with isocyanates. The comparison of the data of original and derivatized samples is thus the basis for assignment of components to the primary, secondary and tertiary alcohol types (e.g. Sandalwood Oil, Rose Oil) in sample mapping procedure.The NH-deformation absorption band of (I) in vapour phase FTIR-spectroscopy at 1492–1494 cm^–1 proved to be of great use in the selective registration of derivatized alcohols in complex samples.