Synthesis of New Sulfated and Glucuronated Metabolites of Dietary Phenolic Compounds Identified in Human Biological Samples

Abstract

(Poly)phenols are a large group of dietary compounds present in fruits and vegetables; their consumption is associated with health beneficial effects. After ingestion, (poly)phenols suffer extensive metabolization, and the identification of their metabolites is an emerging area, because these metabolites are considered the effective bioactive molecules in the human organism. However, a lack of commercially available standards has hampered the study of metabolite bioactivity and the exact structural confirmation in biological samples. New (poly)phenol metabolites previously identified in human samples after the intake of berry juice were chemically synthesized. Efficient chemical reactions were performed with moderate to excellent yields and selectivities. These new compounds could be used as standard chemicals for confirmation of the structure of metabolites in biological samples and will also allow mechanistic studies in cellular models.

Keywords: glycosylation; metabolites; organic synthesis; polyphenols; sulfation.