Stereospecific labeling of the glycerol moiety: synthesis of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-[3-3H]glycero-3-phospho(1-rac-glycerol).

1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-[3-3H]glycero-3-phospho(1-rac-glycerol) was synthesized from 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycerol using a new radiosynthetic procedure. 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycerol was oxidized to the corresponding aldehyde using pyridinium dichromate and pyridine. The aldehyde was reduced to the radiolabeled alcohol using tritiated sodium borohydride and crown ether. This material was then converted to the phosphocholine derivative using 2-chloro-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane, followed by displacement with trimethylamine. In the last step, the 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-[3-3H]glycero-3-phosphocholine was converted to 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-[3-3H]glycero-3-phospho-(1-rac-glycerol) via a classic transphosphatidylation reaction using glycerol and cabbage phospholipase D. A theoretical explanation of unusual chemical behavior of the primary alcohol of diglycerides is also given, based on semi-empirical calculations.