Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is the

ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides ar ...

caffeic acid Caffeic acid is an organic compound that is classified as a hydroxycinnamic acid. This yellow solid consists of both phenolic and acrylic functional groups. It is found in all plants because it is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of lignin, one ...

and (−)-

quinic acid Quinic acid is a cyclitol, a cyclic polyol, and a cyclohexanecarboxylic acid. It is a colorless solid that can be extracted from plant sources. Quinic acid is implicated in the perceived acidity of coffee. Occurrence and preparation The compound ...

, functioning as an intermediate in lignin biosynthesis. The term "chlorogenic acids" refers to a related

polyphenol Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some of ...

family of esters, including

hydroxycinnamic acid Hydroxycinnamic acids (hydroxycinnamates) are a class of aromatic acids or phenylpropanoids having a C6–C3 skeleton. These compounds are hydroxy derivatives of cinnamic acid. In the category of phytochemicals that can be found in food, there ...

s (

ferulic acid Ferulic acid is a hydroxycinnamic acid, an organic compound with the formula (CH3O)HOC6H3CH=CHCO2H. The name is derived from the genus ''Ferula'', referring to the giant fennel ('' Ferula communis''). Classified as a phenolic phytochemical, ferul ...

and ''p''-coumaric acid) with

. Despite the "chloro" of the name, chlorogenic acids contain no

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate betwee ...

. Instead, the name comes from the Greek χλωρός (khloros, light green) and -γένος (ghenos, a suffix meaning "giving rise to"), pertaining to the green color produced when chlorogenic acids are

oxidized Redox (reduction–oxidation, , ) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of substrate change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a ...

Structural properties

Structurally, chlorogenic acid is the

formed between caffeic acid and the 3-hydroxyl of L-quinic acid. Isomers of chlorogenic acid include the caffeoyl ester at other hydroxyl sites on the quinic acid ring: 4-''O''-caffeoylquinic acid (cryptochlorogenic acid or 4-CQA) and 5-''O''-caffeoylquinic acid (neochlorogenic acid or 5-CQA). The

epimer In stereochemistry, an epimer is one of a pair of diastereomers. The two epimers have opposite configuration at only one stereogenic center out of at least two. All other stereogenic centers in the molecules are the same in each. Epimerization i ...

at position 1 has not yet been reported. Structures having more than one caffeic acid group are called isochlorogenic acids, and can be found in

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...

. There are several isomers, such as 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid. and

cynarine Cynarine is a hydroxycinnamic acid derivative and a biologically active chemical constituent of artichoke (''Cynara cardunculus''). Chemically, it is an ester formed from quinic acid and two units of caffeic acid. See also * Chlorogenic acid ...

(1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid)

Biosynthesis and natural occurrence

The biosynthetic precursor to chlorogenic acid is 4-coumaroyl-CoA, containing a single hydroxyl group on the aryl ring, which in turn is produced from

cinnamic acid Cinnamic acid is an organic compound with the formula C6H5-CH=CH- COOH. It is a white crystalline compound that is slightly soluble in water, and freely soluble in many organic solvents. Classified as an unsaturated carboxylic acid, it occurs n ...

. The

hydroxylation In chemistry, hydroxylation can refer to: *(i) most commonly, hydroxylation describes a chemical process that introduces a hydroxyl group () into an organic compound. *(ii) the ''degree of hydroxylation'' refers to the number of OH groups in a ...

of the coumaryl ester, i.e. installing the second hydroxy group, is catalyzed by a

cytochrome P450 Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are a Protein superfamily, superfamily of enzymes containing heme as a cofactor (biochemistry), cofactor that functions as monooxygenases. In mammals, these proteins oxidize steroids, fatty acids, and xenobiotics, and are ...

enzyme. Chlorogenic acid can be found in the

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

Phyllostachys edulis ''Phyllostachys edulis'', the bamboo, or tortoise-shell bamboo, or (), ( ja, モウソウチク), () is a temperate species of giant timber bamboo native to China and Taiwan and naturalised elsewhere, including Japan where it is widely distrib ...

'', as well as in many other plants, such as the shoots of

common heather ''Calluna vulgaris'', common heather, ling, or simply heather, is the sole species in the genus ''Calluna'' in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing evergreen shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found wide ...

(''

Calluna vulgaris ''Calluna vulgaris'', common heather, ling, or simply heather, is the sole species in the genus ''Calluna'' in the flowering plant family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing evergreen shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found wid ...

'').

In food

Chlorogenic acid and the related compounds cryptochlorogenic acid, and

neochlorogenic acid Neochlorogenic acid is a natural polyphenol found in some dried fruits and other plant sources, such as peaches. It is an isomer of chlorogenic acid; both of these are members of the caffeoylquinic acid Caffeoylquinic acids (CQA) are compounds com ...

have been found in the leaves of ''

Hibiscus sabdariffa Roselle (''Hibiscus sabdariffa'') is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Hibiscus'' that is native to Africa, most likely West Africa and also found in India especially Maharashtra with local name ambali. In the 16th and early 17th cent ...

''. Isomers of chlorogenic acid are found in potatoes. Chlorogenic acid is present in the flesh of

eggplant Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Mos ...

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fu ...

es,

prune A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (''Prunus domestica''). Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. A prune is the firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of '' Prunus domestica'' varieties that have a high so ...

s and

coffee bean A coffee bean is a seed of the ''Coffea'' plant and the source for coffee. It is the pip inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a coffee cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit. Even thou ...

Research and safety

Chlorogenic acid is under preliminary research for its possible biological effects. Chlorogenic acid has not been approved as a

prescription drug A prescription drug (also prescription medication or prescription medicine) is a pharmaceutical drug that legally requires a medical prescription to be dispensed. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription. The rea ...

food additive Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance taste, appearance, or other sensory qualities. Some additives have been used for centuries as part of an effort to preserve food, for example vinegar (pickling), salt (salt ...

recognized as a safe ingredient for foods or beverages. There is not enough evidence to determine whether it is safe or effective for human health, and its use in high doses, such as excessive consumption of

green coffee A coffee bean is a seed of the ''Coffea'' plant and the source for coffee. It is the pip inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a coffee cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit. Even thou ...

, may have

adverse effect An adverse effect is an undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or other intervention, such as surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a " side effect", when judged to be secondary to a main or therapeutic effect. The term compl ...

s. Chlorogenic acid has been studied as a possible chemical sensitizer involved in respiratory allergy to certain plant materials.

Nomenclature

The atom-numbering of chlorogenic acid can be ambiguous. The order of numbering of atoms on the quinic acid ring was reversed in 1976 following

IUPAC The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC ) is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations working for the advancement of the chemical sciences, especially by developing nomenclature and terminology. It is ...

guidelines, with the consequence that 3-CQA became 5-CQA, and 5-CQA became 3-CQA. This article uses the original numbering, which was exclusive prior to 1976, (chlorogenic acid being 3-CQA, while neochlorogenic acid is 5-CQA). Thereafter researchers and manufacturers have been divided, with both numbering systems in use. Even the 1976 IUPAC recommendations are not entirely satisfactory when applied to some of the less common chlorogenic acids.M. N. Clifford and L. Abranko. Some Notes on the Chlorogenic Acids. 1. Numbering and Nomenclature. ResearchGate. 2017.

References

{{Authority control Hydroxycinnamic acid esters Hydroxycinnamic acid glycosides Quinic acid esters Catechols Vinylogous carboxylic acids