Isolation and identification of 2-phenylethyl disaccharide glycosides and mono glycosides from rose flowers, and their potential role in scent formation.

2-Phenylethyl 6-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), and its 6-O-beta-D-xylopyraranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2) were identified in the flowers of Rosa damascena Mill. harvested at the full bloom stage. 2-Phenylethyl beta-D-glucopyranoside (3) and its beta-D-galactopyranoside (4) together with 1 and 2 were also found in the flower buds harvested 44 hrs before the opening stage. Their potential role in scent formation is discussed.