Four-directional-development thin-layer chromatography of lipids using trimethyl borate.

Solvent mixtures containing trimethyl borate virtually eliminated the pronounced interconversion of 1,2- and 1,3-dipalmitins during their resolution by thin-layer chromatography on Silica Gel G. With trimethyl borate, an average of 1-2% of 1,2-dipalmitin was converted to 1,3-dipalmitin. A four-directional-development TLC procedure incorporating trimethyl borate resolves cholesteryl glucoside, ceramides, monogalactosyl diglyceride, 1- and 2-monopalmitin, palmitic acid, cholesterol, 1,2- and 1,3-dipalmitin, tripalmitin, methyl palmitate, cholesteryl palmitate, beta-carotene and some of its degradation products, squalene, and tetracosane. Digalactosyl diglyceride, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylglucose, cerebrosides, and other phospholipids remain near the origin. A mixture containing triolein, 1,2- and 1,3-diolein, 1- and 2- monoolein, oleic acid, and cholesterol was resolved in one dimension. A similar series of palmitic-containing neutral lipids was also resolvable in one dimension. These procedures were applied to the TLC of human sera lipids.