[Study of the Stereochemistry and Oxidation Mechanism of Plant Polyphenols, Assisted by Computational Chemistry].

In recent years, plant polyphenols have attracted great attention due to their wide range of biological activities. Certain kinds of polyphenols have complex structures; therefore, it is difficult to elucidate their total structure, including stereochemistry. In this study, we reinvestigated the stereostructures of two major C-glycosidic ellagitannins contained in Quercus plants, vescalagin and castalagin, and revised their stereostructures based on theoretical calculations of spectroscopic data. We also determined the structures of quercusnins A and B, isolated from the sapwood of Quercus crispula, based on theoretical calculations of NMR data. The oxidation mechanism of polyphenols has not been entirely elucidated. Therefore, we have also studied the oxidation mechanism of tea catechins during black tea production. Our investigation of the oxidation mechanism of black tea pigment theaflavins revealed that the difference in the position of the galloyl ester affords different oxidation products of theaflavins. In addition, oxidation products of pyrogallol-type catechins could be classified into three types-dehydrotheasinensins, theacitrins, and proepitheaflagallins; their detailed production and degradation mechanisms were also examined.