Just a quick and random question; I have been making natural insecticides using essential oils from various plant oils, I have received from a
friend(an extreme naturalist) and they work quite fantastic. They repel mosquito's better than DEET in my opinion and leave the rooms smelling like
the best perfume ever, anyways; I notice that juniper contains chemicals (various terpenoids and phenols) that are both insecticidal and insect
deterring in nature. I was wondering if it is passable to extract the essential oils, by just boiling the leaves in water. If one were to boil the
leaves for an hour than strain them (using an extra fine colander?), repeat 3x than boil the strained liquid as much as passable (terpinoids and
phenols have much higher boiling points than water) in theory shouldent an emulsion from thewater and the water-insoluable terpenoid/phenols once the
water is nearly boiled out? would freezing help seperate?
also will the phenols/terpinoids boil out of the 'tea' because they are 'potentially' steam-volatile? I never really understood how a water-insoluable
chemical with a much higher boiling point than water ends up being boiled out alongside the water vapor
Any awnsers are suggestions are helpful and thankyou, I have been browsing this forum for quite some time but just recently made an account. S.C. Wack - 17-6-2012 at 10:32
Just a quick and random question..I have been browsing this forum for quite some time but just recently made an account.
Then you should know of the short questions thread. Let me guess...safrole? In any case there is the wood oil, berry oil, and the leaf oil. Probably
not all the same. If you boil the leaves in water, the oil will form a fine coating on everything in your kitchen.
thankyou
greenenergy - 17-6-2012 at 11:44
Thankyou for your much appreciated fast reply. Although safrole is a phenol im not sure if it on its own has insectisidal properties. (I beleive it
might, synthetic insectisides seem to be made from it) the phenol im refering to in particular is eugonol ;D
A show you may or may not heard have *tbh I have not seen the show in awhile* called "billy the exterminator" but they were using eugonol as an
insectisde with great effeincy. I know eugonol is highly similear to safrole and they may both be potentially cancerous (atleast to rodents anyway) if
some trace amounts of safrole happens to get into my essential oil I guess its not that bad though. a rodenticide/potential insecticide + perfumy
scent doesnt sound that bad in addition to a all-natural insecticide oil
you can google "billy the exterminator eugenol oil" for more information on the insectisidal properties if your bored and somewat interested
the "biochemistry" thread seemed best. I was obcessing about trying to get it in the right discussion area. I didnt even know their was a short
awnsers thread -_- my bad
greenenergy - 17-6-2012 at 12:21
I am seeing that safrole and 4-terpineol are ethanol soluable so in theory if I add some hot everclear too 100 grams of dried powder-sugar
consistency juniper should the phenols and terpinoids leach out into the ethanol and the ethanol or acetone can be evaporated without the volatile
oils being evaporated in the process? walking around the house carrying a steaming pot of juniper leaves doesnt sound so effective
speaking of safrole and 4-terpineol, with boiling points *much* higher than h20, why do they evaporate at room tempature?
