Computational aspects of anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: A review

Abstract

Anthocyanins and anthocyanidins are polyphenolic compounds, responsible for the red and blue colours in several fruits, flowers, and leaves. Their colorant properties, bioavailability and antioxidant activity, made anthocyanins and anthocyanidins largely adopted in food and pharmaceutical industries. In this body of work, we firstly introduced structure, photophysical properties, co-pigmentation, antioxidant properties, glycosylation and complexation of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins. Secondly, we reported the computational methods adopted and the main theoretical results involving either anthocyanins and anthocyanidins, ranging from the first theoretical investigation on the structure of flavylium ions to the most recent studies on anthocyanins adsorbed on TiO₂. We reviewed the computational contributions to the description of molecular properties of anthocyanins and anthocyanidins, giving a particular attention to the geometries, the spectroscopic features and the complexation properties of such molecules. Nowadays, theoretical calculations represent an essential methodology to understand and predict the chemical and physical properties of anthocyanins and their derivates.

Keywords: Anthocyanidins; Anthocyanins; Density functional theory; Natural dyes; Quantum chemistry.