Preliminary study of oaklins, a new class of brick-red catechinpyrylium pigments resulting from the reaction between catechin and wood aldehydes

Several structurally related pigments were found to result from the reaction between catechin and coniferaldehyde/sinapaldehyde extracted from oak wood. Their structures were tentatively identified by mass spectrometry, and their formation was studied in different pH and temperature conditions for several days. They were all found to have a characteristic catechinpyrylium core, thereby constituting a new class of compounds named as oaklins. One of the main oaklins was also detected in a commercial table red wine aged in oak barrels.