71227e67_e_of_Technology_Transfer__OTT___Description
[Subject Matter] New Materials (Insect Repellent) [Docket] 99.03 [Title] METHODS OF SEPARATING ZE-NEPETALACTONE AND EZ-NEPETALACTONE FROM CATNIP OIL [Description] 
A method of separating ZE-nepetalactone and EZ-nepetalactone from catnip oil involving mixing catnip oil dissolved in a least one water immiscible, non-halogenated organic solvent with at least one inorganic base dissolved in water to form a biphasic mixture, stirring the biphasic mixture to hydrolyze ZE-nepetalactone to form ZE-nepetalic acid, separating the aqueous phase containing ZE-nepetalic acid from the organic phase containing EZ-nepetalactone in the biphasic mixture, and optionally acidifying the aqueous phase to about pH 4.5 and adding at least one water immiscible, non-halogenated organic solvent to azeotropically lactonize the ZE-nepetalic acid in the presence of a catalytic amount of p-toluene sulfonic acid to form ZE-nepetalactone.
ARS : Office of Technology Transfer (OTT)