Phospholipid studies of marine organisms: 14. Ether lipids of the sponge Tethya aurantia.

The novel unesterified alkyl glycerol monoethers, (2S)-1-(hexadecyloxy)-2,3-propanediol (1), (2S)-1-(16-methylheptadecyloxy)-2,3-propanediol (2) and (2S)-1-(15-methylheptadecyloxy)-2,3-propanediol (3) were isolated from the marine sponge Tethya aurantia and were characterized by spectroscopic methods. These three saturated ethers as well as a series of alk-1'-enyl glycerol monoethers were also encountered in the phospholipids of the same sponge after reduction with LiAlH4. Incorporation experiments with dissociated cells of T. aurantia indicated that [1-14C]-hexadecanol was incorporated into the unesterified alkyl glycerol monoethers.