Synthesis of Unique Ceramides and Cerebrosides Occurring in Human Epidermis

The sphingolipids 1a , b and 2a , b which play important roles in epidermal barrier function, were synthesized by N-acylation of C₁₈-sphingosine 3 and 1-O-glucosylated C₁₈-sphingosine 6 , respectively, with ω-acyloxy-substituted fatty acids 4 and 5 (Scheme 1). These fatty acids were obtained from ω-hydroxy-substituted fatty acids 8 and 9 by esterification with linoleic acid ( 7 ). The C₃₄-fatty acid 8 was prepared as follows: C₂₅-Compound 18 was obtained by means of a Wittig reaction of C₁₃-aldehyde 13 with C₁₂-phosphonium salt 15 or of C₁₂-aldehyde 24 with C₁₃-phosphonium salt 21 , respectively, and subseqent hydrogenation and O-deprotection (Scheme 2). Alternatively, 8 was prepared via 30 by copper-catalyzed coupling of C₁₃-alkyl halide 19 with the Grignard reagent derived from C₁₂-alkyl bromide 14 (Scheme 2). Oxidation of 18 to aldehyde 39 and Wittig reaction with C₉-phosphonium salt 41 furnished the desired ω-hydroxy-substituted fatty acid 8 , after O-deprotection (Scheme 3). Similarly, Wittig reaction of C₁₁-phosphonium salt 22 with C₁₂-aldehyde 24 furnished C₂₃-aldehyde 40 , after hydrogenation, O-deprotection, and oxidation; Wittig reaction with compound 41 and subsequent deprotection afforded the desired C₃₂-fatty and 9 (Scheme 3). an alternative strategy furnished compound 8 by a coupling reaction of alkyne 53 with ω-bromo-substitued fatty acid 52 , obtained from compounds 24 and 47 by Wittig reaction, hydrogenation, and introduction of bromide (Scheme 4). Hydrogenation (Lindlar's catalyst) of the resulting C₃₄-alkyne 54 and deprotection furnished 8 .