The chemical composition of root bark oil of Cleistopholis patens (Benth.) Engl. & Diels from Côte d'Ivoire was determined by GC (in combination with retention indices), GC-MS and 13C NMR. The contents of the major compounds varied drastically from sample to sample: patchoulenone (0–70.5%), β-pinene (0–51.9%), bornyl acetate (0.5–31.2%), α-pinene (0.2–25.7%), juvenile hormone III (0.3–22.2%) and β-elemol (0–18.8%). Three chemical compositions may be differentiated, dominated by i) patchoulenone, ii) β-pinene and α-pinene, iii) juvenile hormone III, accompanied by bornyl acetate or β-elemol. 13C NMR data of patchoulenol (3-patchoulen-5- exo-ol) are reported.