First Total Synthesis of C-14-Labeled Procyanidin B2-A Milestone Toward Understanding Cocoa Polyphenol Metabolism

The idea that foods consumed for pure pleasure could provide health benefits received much recognition in the recent years. Among these foods, cocoa and dark chocolate are particularly rich in procyanidins, one of the major dietary families of polyphenols. We developed the first asymmetric total synthesis of procyanidin B2 and applied it to the preparation of a regioselectively radiolabeled C-14-analogue, which will be used to strengthen our knowledge on the metabolism of procyanidins. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmhH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)