Anthocyanins from wild carrot suspension cultures acylated with supplied carboxylic acids

The anthocyanins accumulated by carrot cell cultures include some that are acylated. Addition of cinnamic and benzoic acid analogues to the culture medium resulted in the production of fourteen novel monoacylated anthocyanins. Four additional anthocyanins were prepared by partial acid hydrolysis, which selectively removed the xylose side chain from the branched trisaccharide part of the molecule. The carrot cells accommodate a wide range of carboxylic acids used to acylate anthocyanins and provide a system for the preparation of anthocyanins that have a variety of acyl groups attached. The compounds were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, and by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy at both pH 2 and 6.