THE PREPARATION OF LECITHIN FROM L-α-GLYCERYLPHOSPHORYLCHOLINE

Abstract

L-α-Lecithin (dipalmitoyl) has been prepared from L-α-glycerylphosphoryl-choline by acylation with palmitoyl chloride in anhydrous chloroform in a yield of about 31%. This reaction also gives rise to two by-products having hemolytic activity. One of these, although not yet completely characterized, is chromatographically comparable with lysolecithin formed from lecithin by the action of snake venom lecithinase. The second by-product possessing hemolytic activity but chromatographically different from common lysolecithin was shown to be a monoacyl derivative of L-α-glycerylphosphorylcholine.