An efficient synthesis of the four mono methylated isomers of (+)-catechin including the major metabolites and of some dimethylated and trimethylated analogues through selective protection of the catechol ring

Abstract

The four monomethylated isomers of (+)-catechin in positions 3′, 4′, 5 and 7, two dimethylated derivatives, the 5,7-dimethylcatechin and the 3′,4′-dimethylcatechin and two trimethylated isomers of (+)-catechin in positions 3′, 5, 7 and 4′, 5, 7 were synthesized by a new method based on successive and selective protections of the various phenol functions present on (+)-catechin. The key step was the selective protection of the catechol ring with dichlorodiphenylmethane and di-tert-butyldichlorosilane.