CHLOROGENIC ACID – APPLICATION OF CONTEMPORARY DENSITY FUNCTIONALS TO A SINGLE MOLECULE

Although chlorogenic acid (5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 5CQA) is a dietary phenol known for its pharmacological and nutritional properties, its structural features and mechanisms of oxidative action have not been completely elucidated. Clarification of the 5CQA structure was conducted by comparing the experimental and simulated IR, Raman, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and UV spectra. For this purpose, a comprehensive conformational analysis of 5CQA was performed to reveal its most stable conformations in the gas-state and solution. Excellent agreement between all experimental and simulated spectra indicates correct arrangement of the atoms in the 5CQA molecule. In addition, the most stable conformation in solution coincides with that predicted with sophisticated NMR experiments. The quantum mechanics–based test for overall free-radical scavenging activity was applied for the investigation of antioxidative capacity of 5CQA relative to trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8- tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid, Tx) as a reference compound. Hydrogen atom transfer (HAT), radical adduct formation (RAF), sequential proton loss electron transfer (SPLET), and single electron transfer – proton transfer (SET-PT) reactions of 5CQA and Tx with HO· and CH3OO· radicals were examined in benzene, pentyl ethanoate, and basic aqueous solutions. In non-polar solvents 5CQA reacts with HO· via HAT and RAF mechanisms, whereas HAT is the only reaction pathway with CH3OO·. At physiological conditions 5CQA exists in the form of monoanion and dianion. Both anionic forms undergo only HAT mechanism with CH3OO·. With HO·, the anions conform to the HAT, RAF, SPLET, and SET-PT mechanisms. Because all reactions of dianion are diffusion controlled, its contribution to scavenging HO· is comparable to that of more abundant monoanion. The calculated rate constant for overall reaction of 5CQA with HO· is in perfect agreement with the corresponding experimental value. The order of reactivity toward selected free radicals is the same in nonpolar and polar solutions: in comparison to Tx, 5CQA is more reactive toward HO·, but less reactive toward CH3OO·. Very good agreement between the experimental and calculated results confirms the ability of contemporary density functionals to quantify subtle physico-chemical interactions.