B type proanthocyanidins are a specific type of
proanthocyanidin
Proanthocyanidins are a class of polyphenols found in many plants, such as cranberry, blueberry, and grape seeds. Chemically, they are oligomeric flavonoids. Many are oligomers of catechin and epicatechin and their gallic acid esters. More compl ...
, which are a class of
flavanoid
Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans.
Chemically, flavonoids ...
s. They are
oligomer
In chemistry and biochemistry, an oligomer () is a molecule that consists of a few repeating units which could be derived, actually or conceptually, from smaller molecules, monomers.Quote: ''Oligomer molecule: A molecule of intermediate relat ...
s of
flavan-3-ol
Flavan-3-ols (sometimes referred to as flavanols) are a subgroup of flavonoids. They are derivatives of flavans that possess a 2-phenyl-3,4-dihydro-2''H''-chromen-3-ol skeleton. Flavan-3-ols are structurally diverse and include a range of comp ...
s.
Dimeric B type proanthocyanidins
These molecules have the molecular formula C
30H
26O
12 (molar mass : 578.52 g/mol, exact mass : 578.142426).
Molecules with 4→8 bonds

The 4-8 bond can be in the alpha or in the beta position.
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Procyanidin B1
Procyanidin B1 is a procyanidin dimer.
It is a molecule with a 4→8 bond ( epicatechin-(4β→8)-catechin). Proanthocyanidin-B1 can be found in ''Cinnamomum verum'' (Ceylon cinnamon, in the rind, bark or cortex), in '' Uncaria guianensis'' (cat' ...
or epicatechin-(4β→8)-catechin
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Procyanidin B2 or (−)-epicatechin-(4β→8)-(−)-epicatechin
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Procyanidin B3
Procyanidin B3 is a B type proanthocyanidin. Procyanidin B3 is a catechin dimer ( catechin-(4α→8)-catechin).
Natural occurrences
It can be found in red wine, in barley, in beer, in peach or in ''Jatropha macrantha'', the Huanarpo Macho.
...
or catechin-(4α→8)-catechin
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Procyanidin B4 or catechin-(4α→8)-epicatechin
Molecules with 4→6 bonds

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Procyanidin B5 or epicatechin-(4β→6)-epicatechin
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Procyanidin B6 or catechin-(4α→6)-catechin
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Procyanidin B8 or catechin-(4α→6)-epicatechin
Chemistry
B-type procyanidin (
catechin
Catechin is a flavan-3-ol, a type of secondary metabolite providing antioxidant roles in plants. It belongs to the subgroup of polyphenols called flavonoids.
The name of the catechin chemical family derives from '' catechu'', which is the ta ...
dimer) can be converted to
A-type procyanidin by radical oxidation.
Dimeric proanthocyanidins can also be synthesized with procyanidin-rich grape seed extracts reacted with flavan-3-ols under acid catalysis.
Trimeric B type proanthocyanidins
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Procyanidin C1
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Procyanidin C2
Procyanidin C2 is a B type proanthocyanidin trimer, a type of condensed tannin.
Natural occurrences
Procyanidin C2 is found in grape seeds (''Vitis vinifera'') and wine, in barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), malt and beer, in ''Betula spp.'', in ' ...
Chemical synthesis
A stereoselective synthesis of benzylated catechin trimer under intermolecular condensation is achieved using equimolar amount of dimeric catechin nucleophile and monomeric catechin electrophile catalyzed by
AgOTf or
AgBF4. The coupled product can be transformed into
procyanidin C2
Procyanidin C2 is a B type proanthocyanidin trimer, a type of condensed tannin.
Natural occurrences
Procyanidin C2 is found in grape seeds (''Vitis vinifera'') and wine, in barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), malt and beer, in ''Betula spp.'', in ' ...
by a known procedure.
Iterative oligomer chemical synthesis
A coupling utilising a C8-
boronic acid
A boronic acid is an organic compound related to boric acid () in which one of the three hydroxyl groups () is replaced by an alkyl or aryl group (represented by R in the general formula ). As a compound containing a carbon–boron bond, memb ...
as a directing group was developed in the synthesis of natural
procyanidin B3
Procyanidin B3 is a B type proanthocyanidin. Procyanidin B3 is a catechin dimer ( catechin-(4α→8)-catechin).
Natural occurrences
It can be found in red wine, in barley, in beer, in peach or in ''Jatropha macrantha'', the Huanarpo Macho.
...
(i.e., 3,4-trans-(+)-catechin-4α→8-(+)-catechin dimer). The key interflavan bond is forged using a novel Lewis acid-promoted coupling of C4-ether 6 with C8-boronic acid 16 to provide the α-linked dimer with high diastereoselectivity. Through the use of a boron protecting group, the new coupling procedure can be extended to the synthesis of a protected procyanidin trimer analogous to natural
procyanidin C2
Procyanidin C2 is a B type proanthocyanidin trimer, a type of condensed tannin.
Natural occurrences
Procyanidin C2 is found in grape seeds (''Vitis vinifera'') and wine, in barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), malt and beer, in ''Betula spp.'', in ' ...
.
[Procyanidin oligomers. A new method for 4→8 interflavan bond formation using C8-boronic acids and iterative oligomer synthesis through a boron-protection strategy. Dennis Eri G., Jeffery David W., Johnston Martin R., Perkins Michael V. and Smith Paul A., Tetrahedron, 2012, volume 68, no 1, pages 340-348, ]
See also
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Procyanidin dimer
References
{{procyanidin
Condensed tannins