Development of High-Order Functions Using (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate in Water

The high-order functions of molecular capture and chiral recognition of tea gallated catechins (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg) in water were investigated. A solution of equimolar amounts of a variety of heterocyclic compounds and EGCg in water afforded adhesive precipitates containing the heterocyclic compounds and EGCg at a molar ratio of 1 : 1, based on the integrated value of NMR proton signals. The molecular capture abilities of a variety of heterocyclic compounds using EGCg from the aqueous solutions were evaluated with the ratios of the heterocyclic compounds included in the precipitates of EGCg complex to the total heterocyclic compounds used. In the ¹H-NMR spectrum of a solution containing cyclo(L-Pro-Gly), cyclo(D-Pro-Gly), and EGCg in a D₂O solution, a difference in the chemical shift of the ¹H-NMR signal for some protons of the Pro residue was observed. Judging from the crystal structures of the 2 : 2 EGCg complexes of cyclo(L-Pro-Gly), cyclo(D-Pro-Gly), the difference in the chemical shift derived mainly from a magnetic anisotropic shielding effect by the ring current from the B ring of EGCg.In the ¹H-NMR spectrum of a solution containing the pharmaceuticals racemic (R,S)-propranolol, (R,S)-diprophylline, (R,S)-proxyphylline and EGCg in D₂O, splitting of the ¹H-NMR signals of the pharmaceuticals was observed. It was suggested that the pharmaceuticals formed diastereomers of EGCg complexes, as a result chirality of the pharmaceuticals was recognized by EGCg in the D₂O solution.