Ylang-Ylang Concrète

#### Ylang-Ylang Concrète. From the flowers of cultivated **Cananga Odorata **trees (see **Ylang-Ylang Oil) **in Nossi-Bé and the Comoro islands, a concrète is produced by petroleum ether extraction. Installations for extraction are at hand in these islands. As a matter of fact, 50 years ago the first extractors were brought to La Réunion which, at that time, was about to become the world's leading producer of ylang-ylang oil. After the economic collapse of the ylang-ylang industry in Réunion, the installations were moved to Nossi-Bé, a tiny island off the north-west coast of Madagascar. Comparatively modern equipment is now in operation in the two island areas (Nossi-Bé and the Comores). In Nossi-Bé, it is customary to water-and-steam distil the extracted flower material, and thus obtain an additional yield of oil which is added to the extracted concrète. The steam-and-water distilled oil is of rather poor odor value, but has a certain fixative effect and adds to the mellowness of the concrète. Thus two products are sold under the name of **Ylang-Ylang Concrète**: 1) the true extraction product, and 2) the combined extract and distillate (from exhaust flowers). Certain sesquiterpenes seem to be insoluble in petroleum ether, but they are distillable with water. Benzene has been suggested as a better solvent, but although the yield is far better with benzene, the odor of the benzene concrète is inferior to that of the petroleum ether concrète. Again we find an example of the detrimental effect exerted by boiling water on certain components in essential oils, often resulting in the formation of sesquiterpenes or other materials of low odor value. **Ylang-Ylang Concrète **is not a "concrète" in appearance. It is a brownish-yellow or dark amber colored liquid with a bottom deposit or suspended precipitate of cream-colored or grayish-yellow, waxy grains or flakes. At slightly higher than room temperature, the waxy and insoluble precipitate melts and dissolves in the liquid which then becomes homogeneous. The odor is rich, sweet and intensely floral with an outstanding tenacity and uniformity. Considering the fact that the concrète contains up to 85 % alcohol-soluble matter (ylang-ylang absolute), it is surprising that the sharp and very "high" topnote of the absolute is rounded-off so elegantly in the concrète without affecting the naturalness or the rich body. **Ylang-Ylang Concrète **is primarily used for the production of absolute (see that monograph), but an increasing number of perfumers have visualized the concrète as a potential perfume material in better soap perfumes where the waxes most often will dissolve and cause no further trouble. The effect of *one** **percent** *of ylang-ylang concrète in a floral soap perfume (e.g. lilac) is so obvious and, most often, so definitely an improvement that the question of economy is eliminated and the use of the concrète is justified. The concrète blends well with isoeugenol, hydroxycitronellal, bucinal, cyclamal, cassione, vertenex, ionones and methyl ionones, cinnamic alcohol, anisalcohol, amyl salicylate, benzyl salicylate, phenylethyl salicylate or cinnamate, linalool and esters, isosafrol, heliotropine, mimosa and cassie absolutes, sandalwood oil, alpha terpineol, etc., etc. In floral soap-perfume bases such as lilac, muguet, hyacinth, carnation, apple blossom, sweet pea, etc. and in heavy Oriental soap-perfume bases, etc., ylang-ylang concrète lends a richness and natural mellowness with its soft, balsamic floral bouquet, whose tenacity is hard to obtain by other means. The annual production of ylang-ylang concrète is still measured in hundreds of kilos, but the increasing interest in this material will undoubtedly encourage the producers in the Indian Ocean islands to turn out a tonnage of this exceptionally fine perfume material.