Leucoanthocyanidin (flavan-3,4-diols) are colorless chemical compounds related to

anthocyanidin Anthocyanidins are common plant pigments, the sugar-free counterparts of anthocyanins. They are based on the flavylium cation, an oxonium ion, with various groups substituted for its hydrogen atoms. They generally change color from red through ...

s and anthocyanins. Leucoanthocyanins can be found in '' Anadenanthera peregrina'' and in several species of '' Nepenthes'' including '' N. burbidgeae'', '' N. muluensis'', '' N. rajah'', '' N. tentaculata'', and '' N. × alisaputrana''. Such compounds include: * Leucocyanidin * Leucodelphinidin * Leucofisetinidin * Leucomalvidin * Leucopelargonidin * Leucopeonidin * Leucorobinetinidin * Melacacidin * Teracacidin from '' Acacia obtusifolia'' and '' Acacia maidenii'' heartwoods Leucoanthocyanidins have been demonstrated to be intermediates in anthocyanidin biosynthesis in flowers of ''

Matthiola incana ''Matthiola incana'' is a species of flowering plant in the cabbage family Brassicaceae. Common names include Brompton stock, common stock, hoary stock, ten-week stock, and gilly-flower. The common name stock usually refers to this species, thou ...

''.Leucoanthocyanidins as intermediates in anthocyanidin biosynthesis in flowers of ''Matthiola incana'' R. Br. Werner Heller, Lothar Britsch, Gert Forkmann and Hans Grisebach, 1984
/ref> Bate-smith recommended in 1954 the use of the Forestal solvent for the isolation of leuco-anthocyanins.

Metabolism

Leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase uses flavan-3,4-diols to produce 3-hydroxyanthocyanidins. The gene encoding the enzyme (PpLDOX) has been identified in

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-f ...

and expression has been studied in ''

Vitis vinifera ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, is a species of flowering plant, native to the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran. There are curr ...

''.Regulation of the leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase gene expression in ''Vitis vinifera'', Gollop R; Farhi S.; Perl A. 2001
/ref>

References

{{Leucoanthocyanidin Vicinal diols