Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 6, 2026
04:36
Author Spotlight: Exploring Tea Aroma Using Solvent-Assisted Flavor Evaporation Technique
Published on: May 26, 2023
4.1K
Quality Control Assays of Essential Oils Using Benchtop NMR Spectroscopy: Quantification of Key Terpenes, Terpenoids,
Juan F Araneda1, Matthew C Leclerc1, Susanne D Riegel1
1Nanalysis Corp., Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry : MRC
|September 30, 2025
Summary
Benchtop NMR spectroscopy enables cost-effective quantification of essential oil components, making this powerful analytical technique more accessible for identifying terpenes and other key compounds.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is crucial for identifying and elucidating the structures of compounds in essential oils.
- NMR, alongside Gas Chromatography (GC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS), identifies and quantifies terpenes, terpenoids, and aldehydes.
- Currently, GC is preferred for quantification, while NMR is mainly used for structural analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the utility of benchtop NMR spectroscopy for quantifying key components in essential oils.
- To enhance accessibility of NMR spectroscopy for essential oil analysis.
- To reduce the cost and expertise barriers associated with traditional high-field NMR.
Main Methods:
- Utilized benchtop NMR spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of essential oil samples.
- Compared the performance of benchtop NMR with established techniques for component quantification.
- Focused on the quantification of terpenes, terpenoids, and aldehydes.
Main Results:
- Successfully demonstrated that benchtop NMR spectroscopy can accurately quantify key species in essential oils.
- Showcased a more accessible and cost-effective alternative to high-field NMR for quantitative applications.
- Highlighted the potential to overcome limitations of traditional NMR instrumentation.
Conclusions:
- Benchtop NMR spectroscopy offers a viable and accessible method for the quantification of essential oil components.
- This approach democratizes the use of NMR for essential oil analysis, expanding its applications beyond structural elucidation.
- Reduced costs and expertise requirements make NMR-based quantification more attainable for researchers.
Related Concept Videos
01:14NMR Spectroscopy of Aromatic Compounds
6.1K
Aromatic compounds can be identified or analyzed using proton NMR and carbon‐13 NMR. Typically, aromatic hydrogens or hydrogens directly bonded to the aromatic rings are strongly deshielded by the aromatic ring current. Therefore, they absorb in the range of 6.5–8.0 ppm in proton NMR spectra. For instance, aromatic hydrogens directly bonded to the benzene ring absorb at 7.3 ppm. However, aromatic hydrogens of larger rings absorb farther upfield or downfield than the ideal range.
6.1K
01:17Chemical Shift: Internal References and Solvent Effects
1.2K
In an NMR sample, precise measurement of the absolute absorption frequencies of nuclei is difficult. A standard internal reference compound is added, and the frequency difference between the reference signal and sample signals is measured.
The internal reference compound generally used in NMR spectroscopy is tetramethylsilane (TMS). TMS is preferred because it is chemically inert, soluble in NMR solvents, and easily removable. Also, the highly shielded methyl protons in TMS yield an intense...
The internal reference compound generally used in NMR spectroscopy is tetramethylsilane (TMS). TMS is preferred because it is chemically inert, soluble in NMR solvents, and easily removable. Also, the highly shielded methyl protons in TMS yield an intense...
1.2K
01:15NMR Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry of Aldehydes and Ketones
5.4K
In aldehydes, the hydrogen atom connected to the carbonyl carbon helps distinguish aldehydes from other carbonyl compounds using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The closeness of aldehydic hydrogen to the electrophilic carbonyl carbon highly deshields the hydrogen atom causing its signal to appear around 10 ppm in the ¹H NMR spectra. α hydrogens split the aldehydic proton signal, which helps identify the number of α hydrogens in the molecule. For instance, one α hydrogen creates a...
5.4K
00:58¹H NMR Signal Integration: Overview
3.2K
The intensity of a signal, which can be represented by the area under the peak, depends on the number of protons contributing to that signal. The area under each peak is shown as a vertical line called an integral, with the integral value listed under it, as seen in the proton NMR spectrum of benzyl acetate. Each integral value is divided by the smallest integral value to obtain the ratio of the number of protons producing each signal. The ratio reveals the relative number of protons and not...
3.2K
01:10Qualitative Analysis
1.2K
Qualitative analysis is the process of identifying elements, ions, or compounds in an unknown sample. It is the first and most fundamental type of analysis based on the hierarchy of analytical goals. This hierarchy is significant as it provides a structured approach to scientific research, with qualitative analysis serving as the initial step, providing essential information before moving on to quantitative or other forms of analysis.
There are two main approaches to qualitative analysis:...
There are two main approaches to qualitative analysis:...
1.2K
01:29IR and UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Aldehydes and Ketones
7.2K
Infrared spectroscopy, also known as vibrational spectroscopy, is mainly used to determine the types of bonds and functional groups in molecules. In aldehydes and ketones, the carbonyl (C=O) bond shows an absorption around 1710 cm-1. The C=O bond vibration of an aldehyde occurs at lower frequencies than that of a ketone. In addition to the C=O absorption in an aldehyde, the aldehydic C–H bond also gives two peaks in the 2700–2800 cm-1 range. This absorption, coupled with the...
7.2K