Chemical Properties
Star anise oil is obtained by steam distillation of the fresh green or dried starshaped
fruits or the fresh or dried leaves (twigs) of Illicium verum Hook. f. (Illiciaceae),
an evergreen tree growing in Vietnam and China. It is a colorless to pale
yellow liquid, which solidifies on cooling.
d
2020 0.979–0.985; n
20D 1.5530–1.5560; α
20D ?2 ° to +2 °; solubility: 1 vol in max.
3 vol 90% alcohol; fp >15 °C;.
The main component of star anise oil, as in anise oil, is (E)-anethole (86–93%). Pure anethole can be obtained by rectification and/or crystallization. In the past decade, star anise oil has developed into the most
important source of anethole as aroma chemical.
