Thermodynamic Stability of Flavylium Salts as a Valuable Tool To Design the Synthesis of A-Type Proanthocyanidin Analogues.

A convenient method to synthesize A-type proanthocyanidin analogues from flavylium salts and π-nucleophiles has been developed. It was found that the thermodynamic stability of the starting flavylium salt, assessed by the measurement of the apparent acidity constant ( K'a), was the key parameter to design effective one-pot reactions between flavylium salts and nucleophiles such as phloroglucinol and (+)-catechin. When flavylium salts have a p K'a value of 1.7 or lower, the synthesis of the corresponding 2,8-dioxabyciclo[3.3.1]nonane derivative was properly achieved.