Journal of Lipid Research, Vol 28, 1444-1454, Copyright © 1987 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Temperature-dependent molecular motions and phase behavior of cholesteryl ester analogues
DH Croll, PK Sripada and JA Hamilton
Housman Medical Research Center, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118.
The phase behavior and temperature-dependent molecular motions of three
cholesteryl ethers (caproyl, myristyl, oleyl) and a cholesteryl carbonate
(oleyl) were characterized. The properties of each ether were qualitatively
similar to, but quantitatively different from, those of the corresponding
cholesteryl ester. For example, cholesteryl oleyl ether exhibited the same
phase transitions as cholesteryl oleate, but at much lower temperatures
(e.g., the ether isotropic liquid to cholesteric transition is at 29
degrees C). 13C NMR spectra of ethers in the isotropic liquid and liquid
crystalline phases were similar to those of the ester analogue. However,
near the liquid to liquid crystalline transition, the steroid ring C3 and
C6 linewidths, the C3/C6 linewidth ratio, and the steroid ring rotational
correlation times tau rx and tau rz calculated from the linewidths were
larger for the ether than the ester analogue. The oleyl carbonate had
qualitatively different properties from its analogues (e.g., stable vs.
metastable cholesteric and smectic phases). Quantitative results (e.g.,
relatively long tau rx and tau rz in the isotropic liquid phase) for the
carbonate were also distinct from those of both the ester and ether
analogues. A comparison of analogues in which the polar linkage is the only
structural variable yielded insights into the intermolecular interactions
which influence phase behavior.