Resolution of monoterpene enantiomers by gas chromatography.

Enantiomeric monoterpenes can be resolved by gas chromatography on conventional capillary and packed columns following conversion to diastereomeric ketals of (2R,3R)-2,3-butanediol. Efficient methods are described for the derivatization and separation of sub-milligram quantities of the enantiomers of alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, camphene, sabinene, alpha-thujene, limonene and 3-carene, as well as of structurally related alcohols and ketones.