Journal of Lipid Research, Vol 25, 729-737, Copyright © 1984 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Conversion of erythro-D-sphinganine to its [1-2H1] and [1-3H1] derivatives
MW Crossman and CB Hirschberg
A convenient chemical synthesis of erythro-D-[1-2H1] sphinganine and
erythro-D-[1-3H1]sphinganine is described. The approach utilizes a
stereospecific starting material (natural sphinganine prepared from bovine
brain sphingomyelin) and applies a sequence of selective protection of
functional groups yielding 2-acetamido-3-O- benzoyloctadecan-1-ol.
Oxidation of the primary alcohol to an aldehyde followed by NaB2H4 or
NaB3H4 reduction and hydrolysis of the protective groups yields
erythro-D-[1-2H1]sphinganine or erythro-D-[1- 3H1]sphinganine. The
synthetic intermediates and isotopically labeled sphinganines are
characterized by infrared analysis, 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance, optical
rotation, and gas-liquid radiochromatographic and mass spectral
fragmentation analyses. The [1- 2H1] and [1-3H1] derivatives were obtained
with overall yields (and isotope enrichments) of 11% (min. 84 mol% 2H1) and
8% (60 mCi/mmol), respectively.