3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid 98%

Extracted from the flower of Japanese honeysuckle, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid is isolated here from Lonicera japonica by ethanol extraction and purification. It is quinic acid esterified with two caffeic acid groups on the adjacent positions 3 and 4, and it is a water soluble, off-white powder.

The primary grade is 98% 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid by HPLC, in Food / Dietary Supplement Grade. Five positional isomers share one formula and one molecular weight, and the locants 3,4 are therefore the identity of this product, together with the retention time and spectra of the main peak.

SKU: BOT-PHY-0044 Category: Phytochemicals Tags: Ethanol Extracted, Flower, Honeysuckle, Plant Compounds, Polyphenols, Water Soluble

3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid Chemical Identity

3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic acid has the formula C25H24O12, which gives a molecular weight of 516.4. The quinic acid core is a cyclohexane carboxylic acid with four hydroxyl groups, and in 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid the caffeoyl groups occupy the neighboring positions 3 and 4, leaving the hydroxyls at C1 and C5 free. The two catechol rings sit side by side, which makes the molecule compact and gives its neighbors on the ring a role in the acyl migration that interconverts the isomers.

The CAS number for 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid is 14534-61-3. The natural source is the flower of Lonicera japonica Thunb., the Japanese honeysuckle, a plant of the family Caprifoliaceae whose flower bud is a long-established herbal material. There, chlorogenic acid is the dominant caffeoylquinic acid and the dicaffeoyl isomers are present beside it. Honeysuckle also comes as Honeysuckle Extract 5–25% Chlorogenic Acid, the 10:1 Honeysuckle Flower Extract Powder and the milled Honeysuckle Flower Powder. Those are mixtures defined by a different marker, and the dicaffeoylquinic acid here is a single isomer.

The name honeysuckle covers several species, and Lonicera japonica is the flower of the Chinese trade. Other species have different phenolic profiles, which is why the botanical name is stated.

Typical Specifications

Specification Item	Product Information
Natural Source	Lonicera japonica flower
Plant Part	Flower
Processing	Ethanol Extraction & Purification
Compound Class	Polyphenols
CAS Number	14534-61-3
Molecular Formula	C25H24O12
Molecular Weight	516.4
Purity	98% (HPLC)
Grade	Food / Dietary Supplement Grade
Appearance	Off-White powder
Solubility / Dispersibility	Water Soluble
Quality Parameters
Moisture (LOD)	≤5.0%
Total Ash	≤5.0%
Heavy Metals	Lead ≤2 ppm · Arsenic ≤1 ppm · Cadmium ≤1 ppm · Mercury ≤0.1 ppm
Microbiology	TPC ≤1,000 cfu/g · Yeast & Mold ≤100 cfu/g · E. coli Negative · Salmonella Negative/25 g
Shelf Life	24 months in unopened original packaging, cool and dry storage

3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid Purity Grades & Impurities

The 98% figure is an HPLC result that compares the 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid peak with the other detected peaks, usually at a wavelength near 325 nm where the caffeoyl group absorbs strongly. It leaves out water, ash and any component without a response, so the moisture and ash limits in the table are read beside it. There is no second grade.

The central analytical task is separation from the other isomers. On a reversed-phase column the 3,4, 3,5 and 4,5 isomers elute in a narrow window, usually in that order, and the 1,3 and 1,5 isomers elute differently, so the gradient and the column temperature decide whether the pair of neighbors is resolved. A report that shows the full pattern of 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid and its neighbors is more informative than a bare percentage. Chlorogenic acid and its isomers appear earlier as monocaffeoyl esters.

The ester in 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid is particularly mobile. Acyl migration moves a caffeoyl group between adjacent hydroxyls in neutral or mildly alkaline solution, so the 3,4 isomer can convert into the 3,5 or 4,5 form, and the three equilibrate when held warm. Samples are therefore prepared fresh in a mildly acidic solvent, and results from lots that sat in solution are not comparable. Hydrolysis releases caffeic acid, which appears as a growing early peak in a lot that was stored damp.

Color is the practical signal. A clean lot is off-white, while a tan or brown tone means oxidation of the catechol rings or residual flower pigment. The table limits moisture and ash, and the powder is kept dry, sealed and away from light in storage.

3,4-Dicaffeoylquinic Acid Solubility & Delivery

Water, aqueous ethanol and methanol all dissolve 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, while nonpolar solvents leave it largely undissolved. Its carboxyl and hydroxyl groups give a polar, slightly acidic and pale yellow solution. It dissolves more readily as the pH rises, although higher pH also speeds hydrolysis, migration and oxidation.

Delivery of 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid needs no solubilizer, and the work lies in protecting the ester. Drink bases are kept mildly acidic, a chelating agent counters traces of iron and copper, and thermal steps are kept short. In dry blends the powder takes up water, so a closed container and a desiccant protect flow and assay, and a premix with a dry carrier gives accurate small weights. Light converts the trans double bonds to cis, which shifts retention, so amber glass or opaque packs are used for solutions and for stored powder.

Application Areas

Clear Drink Shots

A clear solution in water makes honeysuckle-derived shots and concentrates possible. Dissolve 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid cool, hold the pH mildly acidic, fill without a hot hold, and check the color against a control after a week, since migration and oxidation darken the liquid.

Capsule Fills With Desiccant

Low-inclusion capsules use 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid. The hygroscopic powder cakes in humid rooms, so a dry filling room, a flow agent and a desiccant in the bottle keep the weight steady and the powder free flowing.

Fruit-Acid Stick Premixes

Sticks hold 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid in a dry premix with sweetener and fruit acid, so the finished cup stays mildly acidic. The bitter, astringent edge is covered by fruit flavors, and the premix is sieved to remove lumps from moisture.

Mineral-Free Tablet Blends

Tablets press 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid with a dry binder and a lubricant, and fillers are chosen to contain little iron or copper. The full blend is stored for a week in humid conditions and compared with a control for color before the formula is fixed.

Isomer Resolution Standards

Analytical teams use the 98% 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid grade to verify that a column separates the three adjacent-position isomers, and to set retention windows for each. Each weighing is logged, the standard is kept dry and cold, and a retained sample from every lot preserves the retention record.

Packaging & Commercial Supply

Essencefield supports product evaluation, formulation trials, commercial orders, and ongoing ingredient supply. Packaging, storage, and shipping arrangements are determined by product characteristics, order quantity, stability requirements, and destination-market needs.

Supply Item	General Information
Sample	Available upon request for formulation, testing, and supplier evaluation
Order Quantities	100 g · 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg · 100 kg · 500 kg · Bulk
Sample Lead Time	Typically 5–7 days after sample confirmation
Production Lead Time	Typically 15–30 days after order and specification confirmation
Packaging	Suitable protective inner packaging with bags, cartons, drums, or other appropriate outer packaging
Storage	Store in tightly sealed, suitable protective packaging in a cool, dry environment. Protect from moisture, heat, and direct sunlight. Specific storage conditions follow the approved product specification.
Documentation	COA · Product Specification · TDS · SDS · Applicable declarations (as applicable)

Final order quantities, lead times, packaging, documentation, and shipping arrangements are confirmed according to the selected product and commercial requirements.