Abstract: Citrus aurantium L. var. amara Engl., is a better species of sour oranges. There are essential oils in the flowers, the peels, the leaves and the branches of C. aurantium. The flower oil can be used in the preparation of perfumes of high quality. The peel oil is used mainly for the flavor-endowing of soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, bread, confectionaries and cakes. In order to control the quality of the essential oils and to improve them, we have systema- tically studied the chemical constituents of the flowers, the leaves and the peals of C. aurantium with our preparation. 12 main components were separated by silica gel column chromatography. The following 33 chemical components were identified by IR, GC-MS and GC retention index: α-thujene, α-pinene, camphene, β-pinene, myrcene, limonene, β-ocimene, trans-linalooloxide (furanoid), cis-linalooloxide (furanoid), linalool, 1,4-p-methadien-7-ol, trans-pinocarveol, camphor, terpinen-4-ol α-terpineol, nerol, citral-b, geraniol, linalylacetate, citrala, trans-linalooloxide (pyranoid), methyl anthranilate, terpinyl acetate, cis-linalooloxide (pyranoid), neryl acetate. geranyl acetate, nonanal, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, γ-muurolene, β-nerolidol, farnesol, α- nerolidol. GC retention index of 33 compounds were measured. A fast method for routine determination is presented.

Key words: Citrus aurantium, Essential oil