Photophysics and hydrolytic stability of betalains in aqueous trifluoroethanol

Betalains are natural antioxidant pigments responsible for the visible fluorescence of flowers. Although these compounds are almost exclusively soluble in water, they are very sensitive to both hydrolysis and water-catalyzed isomerization. We show that three repre- sentative betalains are soluble in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) and that the hydrolytic stability of these model compounds in hydroalcoholic solutions increases with increasing amount of TFE. Furthermore, TFE increases the fluorescence quantum yields of betaxanthins.