Conformations of polymeric proanthocyanidins composed of (+)-catechin or (–)-epicatechin joined by 4 → 6 interflavan bonds

Abstract

The conformations of homopolymers of (+)-catechin and (–)-epicatechin, linked from C(4) of one monomer to C(6) to the next, have been established by the combination of the results from recent MM2 calculations and time-resolved fluorescence studies. Matrix methods were used for evaluation of the unperturbed dimensions and persistence vectors. The polymers linked from C(4) to C(6) tend to be more compact than polymers linked from C(4) to C(8).