Dihydroxylated E,E,Z-docosatrienes. An overview of their synthesis and biological significance.

Dihydroxylated E,E,Z-docosatrienes are acyclic lipoxygenase metabolites of 22-carbon atom polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) containing a conjugated E,E,Z-triene flanked by two secondary allylic alcohols. The two main metabolites, protectin D1 (PD1) and its regioisomer maresin 1 (MaR1), were shown to be actively involved in the resolution and more specifically the termination of the inflammation process. Studies directed at the synthesis of E,E,Z-docosatrienes have been undertaken to resolve stereochemical ambiguities, and provide standards for biological evaluation and reference samples for in-vivo detection and lipidomic analyses. In this review we provide a brief update of the literature on the biological significance of E,E,Z-docosatrienes and the role that synthetic organic chemists has played in the development of these lipids, providing an overview and comparison of the different strategies employed to access synthetic E,E,Z-docosatriene standards.