Carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of brominated catechin derivatives: Stereoelectronic effects on chemical shifts

The 13C NMR spectra of 21 catechin derivatives substituted at C‐6/C‐8 by bromine and/or hydrogen and at oxygen by methyl, acetyl and/or hydrogen have been analysed in deuteriated acetone and chloroform. When a methoxy group is flanked by two bulky ortho substituents (6‐Br and C‐4), the MeO and ortho/para ring carbons (C‐4a, C‐6, C‐8) are deshielded owing to steric inhibition of resonance, which permits a distinction between 6‐ and 8‐substituted catechin methyl ethers. Hindered acetoxy groups do not give rise to this phenomenon.