Flavonoid deactivation of excited state flavins: reaction monitoring by mass spectrometry

Flavin mononucleotide (FMN, as a B(2) vitamin model) was shown to induce dimerization of flavonoids (flavanone, apigenin, naringenin, eriodictyol, taxifolin, catechin, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin, rutin, and seven smaller model phenols studied) as the major photoreaction, when aqueous solutions were exposed to visible light using a new, real-time electrospray ionization mass-spectrometric (ESI-MS) technique supported by LC-MS and MS(2) analysis. Electrophilic intermediates such as transient radical cations, o-quinones, and p-quinone methide were proposed to be involved in the coupling process. The C(3)-OH in flavon-3-ols gave rise to atypical compounds such as a depside or a dioxane-linked dimer. Flavonoid dimers, formed in vegetal extracts added to food during storage in light and for which structures are proprosed based on MS and MS(2), may affect colloidal stability, color, astringency, and antioxidative capacity.