Structures of epicatechin gallate trimer and tetramer produced by enzymatic oxidation.
During black tea production, catechins and their galloyl esters are enzymatically oxidized to generate a complex mixture of black tea polyphenols. The role of galloyl ester groups in this process has yet to be determined. Enzymatic oxidation of epicatechin 3-O-gallate (1) yielded two new oxidation products, theaflavate C and bistheaflavate A, along with theaflavate A (2), a known dimer of 1 generated by coupling of the B-ring with the galloyl group. Theaflavate C is a trimer of 1 and possesses two benzotropolone moieties generated by the oxidative coupling of the galloyl groups with the catechol B-rings. Bistheaflavate A was found to be a tetramer produced by intermolecular coupling of two benzotropolone moieties of 2. From the structures of the products, it was deduced that oxidative coupling of galloyl groups resulted in extension of the molecular size of the products in catechin oxidation.
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi. Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
Rie
R
Kusano
Takashi
T
Tanaka
Yosuke
Y
Matsuo
Isao
I
Kouno
D028244:Camellia / Q000737:chemistry; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry*; D031989:Pyrus / Q000737:chemistry; D016339:Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013662:Tea / Q000737:chemistry
D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D013662:Tea; D002392:Catechin; C062669:epicatechin gallate