FIRST SYNTHESIS OF [1,3,5-C-13(3)]GALLIC ACID

Gallic acid is a phenolic plant metabolite which is normally encountered in plant tissues in ester form. These esters include a group of catechins with antioxidant properties which are found in green tea. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate is the most abundant catechin in green tea and has been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis.(1,2) An efficient and high-yielding synthesis for [1,3,5-C-13(3)]gallic acid from non-aromatic precursors is presented. This will allow compounds such as gallic acid and its derivatives to be used as internal standards for analysis by LC-MS or GC-MS techniques.