Ether lipids based on the glyceryl ether skeleton: Present state,future potential

Lipids from natural sources consist mainly of saponifiable substances, such as glycerides, along with some unsaponifiable lipids, some of which are ether lipids. Typical ether lipids are monoalkyl ethers of glycerin, also called alkyl/alkenyl glyceryl ethers. Alkyl/alkenyl glyceryl ethers have also been reported in marine organisms and in human feces. Several chemical syntheses of such ether lipids have been reported. Typical examples are alkyl glyceryl ether formation by the addition reaction of alkyl glycidyl ether and the telomerization reaction of butadiene with glycerin and a transition metal catalyst. Characteristic chemical structures, such as terpene alkyl glyceryl ethers, archaebacterial macrocyclic ether lipids, and glyceryl ethers of condensed cyclic planar molecules, have been obtained as well. Over the past few decades, industry has shown much interest in the chemistry and application of highly branched fatty acids. For example, isostearyl glyceryl ether (GE-IS) with methyl branching in the middle chain was already known, but it is now prepared at an industrial scale by proprietary alkyl glycidyl ether methods. The characteristic behavior of GE-IS toward water, such as formation of water-in-oil emulsions containing large amounts of water and of liquid crystals, has made it applicable for use in hair and skin-care cosmetics. Based on these studies and considerations, glyceryl ether lipids, which are rarely investigated, may become one of the most important and useful lipids in the industry.     

A perspective on the contribution of surfactants and lipids toward “Green Chemistry”: Present states and future potential

“Green Chemistry” has become a subject of increasing interest in recent years. The goal of efforts in this area is to develop environmentally friendly methods and processes to replace traditional reactions that use organic solvents, consume much energy, and generate undesirable by-products and/or waste. Utilization of renewable resources is an important component of Green Chemistry. Fats and oils represent one such resource. They can give rise to many types of surfactants and lipids that can modify properties of boundary phases between different phases. Thus, phase-transfer catalysts (PTC) based on surfactants or lipids have been reported to be useful in reactions such as oxidation and hydration reactions and in glycidyl ether formation. Another approach to satisfying Green Chemistry requirements is the recovery and recycling of reactants and/or substrates used. In the preparation of alkyl glyceryl ethers, the intermediate 1,3-dioxolane compounds prepared by addition of acetone to alkyl glycidyl ethers can be hydrolyzed to regenerate reusable acetone. Other examples of methodologies based on surfactants or lipids are summarized, and their potential contribution to Green Chemistry is discussed.     

The alkyl glycidyl ether as synthetic building blocks

Alkyl glycidyl ether is one of the most useful key materials for industrial applications because the addition reaction of various kinds of nucleophilic reagents to the reactive epoxy bond of the glycidyl ethers has led to glyceryl ether derivatives. Glyceryl ether exhibits many interesting physical and pharmacological properties. The alkyl glycidyl ether can presently be produced at an industrial scale under the phase-transfer catalytic Williamson ether synthesis. We have reviwwed some addition reactions of the alkyl glycidyl ether and possibilities for use as the building blocks for the syntheses of surfactants, pharmaceuticals, etc. that contain glyceryl ether skeletons. Typical examples of alkyl glyceryl ether derivatives include: amino ether as cosmetic material, and isodiglycerin mono- and dialkyl ethers and triglycerin monoalkyl ether as a cosmetic or a pharmacologically useful material, respectively. Another interesting reaction is the rearrangement of the epoxy bond of the alkyl glycidyl ether, which gives alkoxy ketone in a one-pot synthesis.     

Newer synthetic approaches to surfactants, lipids, and related compounds based on C-3 building blocks: Recent advances related to fatty chemistry

Many lipids derived from natural sources are based on the glycerin molecule. Synthetically alkyl glycidyl ether can be used as a C-3 building block for lipid molecules as well as alkyl glyceryl ether. Several glycidyl and glyceryl ethers have been studied as C-3 synthetic building blocks for lipids used in surfactants/emulsifiers, cosmetics, or toiletries. From an environmental viewpoint, several surfactants and detergents have been modified by using epichlorohydrin or glycerides as C-3 building blocks to have higher performance or biodegradability. Recently, complex lipid molecules having special bioactivities have attracted attention among chemists. Glycidyl ether would be expected to be one of the synthetic building blocks for such complex lipids.     

Applications of phase-transfer catalytic reactions to fatty acids and their derivatives: Present state and future potential

Phase-transfer catalysts (PTC), which accelerate reactions between liquid(organic)-liquid(water) and liquidsolid heterogeneous states, have been investigated and developed. Several processes with PTC have succeeded in industrial processes involving fatty acids and their derivatives. For example, preparation of fatty alkyl glycidyl ethers, from which fatty alkyl glyceryl ethers and their derivatives can be obtained, has been carried out with PTC. However, some problems remain to be solved. For example, preparation of the fatty alkyl glycidyl ether by a PTC reaction was considered, but typical problems to be solved included: (i) how to reuse or recover the catalysts; (ii) how to control the heterogeneous reaction without obstacles to produce useful chemical materials; (iii) how to satisfy the environmental requirements for the catalysts; and (iv) are there more effective catalysts? We address these problems based on our own experiences with phase-transfer catalytic Williamson ether syntheses of fatty alkyl glycidyl ethers. Moreover, we describe recent developments in phase-transfer catalytic reactions related to oleochemistry, such as transition metal-catalyzed reactions of long-chain olefins in liquid(organic)-liquid(water) or liquid-solid heterogeneous states. Based on these results, we have considered the potential of PTC as a synthetic tool in oleochemistry.     

Self-assembly of compounds based on a glycerin skeleton as C-3 building block. Part II

Part I reviewed the properties of alkyl glyceryl ethers and their derivatives in forming self-assemblies such as liquid crystals. Part II covers strategies for the synthesis of several types of artificial ether lipids with a glycerin backbone, such as dicephalic surfactants, gemini surfactants, calamitic bola-amphiphiles, dendrimers, and membrane components of archaebacteria, which have been reported to constitute unique self-assemblies useful as materials for future nanochemistry.     

Studies on the preparation and analysis of glyceryl ether derivatives and the isolation and reductive ozonolysis of unsaturated glyceryl ethers

Glyceryl ethers were identified and quantified by the GLC analysis of their alkyl iodide (special conditions described), acetonide and allyl alkyl ether derivatives. The acetoxy-mercuri-methoxy derivatives of unsaturated glyceryl ether swere separated from saturated glyceryl ethers by TLC and the fractions were analyzed as alkyl iodides. Monoiodides from saturated glyceryl ethers and diiodides from unsaturated glyceryl ethers were also separated by TLC and then analyzed. Allyl alkyl ethers had small retention volumes and these derivatives were separated into pure fractions by preparative GLC. Ozonides were reduced either to alcohols with lithium aluminum hydrodie or to aldehydes with dimethyl sulfide. The alcohols were converted to mono- and diiodides which were separated by TLC and analyzed by GLC. The recovery of n-C₆ and n-C₇ monoiodides was not quantitative. Diiodides and aldehydes were both identified and quantified by GLC. Ozonolysis data suggest that the 16∶1 glyceryl ethers from dogfish liver oil contain 7,8 and 9,10 isomers and the 18∶1 glyceryl ethers contain 9,10 and 11,12 isomers. Presented in part at the AOCS Meeting, Philadelphia, October 1966.     

居贝特表面活性剂的合成和表面性质研究

以短碳链辛醇为起始原料制备了具有Guerbet结构的十六烷基失水甘油醚(Ⅰ)和具有Guerbet结构的十六烷基聚氧乙烯醚(EO)3的失水甘油醚(Ⅱ)以及它们对应的阳离子和两性离子表面活性剂(Ⅲ~Ⅵ)。Ⅲ~Ⅵ表面活性剂的结构如下:N-(3-支链十六烷氧基-2-羟丙基)-N,N,N-三甲基氯化铵(Ⅲ),N-〔3-支链十六烷基聚氧乙烯醚(EO)3-2-羟丙基〕-N,N,N-三甲基氯化铵(Ⅳ),N-(3-支链十六烷氧基-2-羟丙基)-N,N-二甲基羧酸甜菜碱(Ⅴ),N-〔3-支链十六烷基聚氧乙烯醚(EO)3-2-羟丙基〕-N,N-二甲基羧酸甜菜碱(Ⅵ)。通过硅胶柱色谱分离和重结晶,对所得6种化合物进行了纯化。用IR、1HNMR和ESI-MS鉴定了Ⅰ~Ⅵ的结构。并对Ⅲ~Ⅵ的表面张力进行了测定。结果表明,由于这些表面活性剂具有独特的Guerbet亲油基结构,使其具有较低的CMC(10-5~10-6mol/L)和γCMC(25~27 mN/m),有良好的表面活性和应用潜力。     

Synthesis and properties of destructible anionic and cationic surfactants with a 1,3-dioxolane ring

A convenient synthetic method for the preparation of destructible surfactants containing a 1,3-dioxolane ring with various substituents is described. The substituents include carboxylate, quaternary ammonium, and several aliphatic alkyl groups, such as hydrophilic or hydrophobic groups. These novel surfactants had good surface activity, and were easily hydrolyzed under acidic conditions. They also catalyzed aliphatic halide substitution.     

Glycerol-derived solvents containing two or three distinct functional groups enabled by trifluoroethyl glycidyl ether

Conversion of epichlorohydrin to glycidyl ethers creates versatile precursors that can be transformed into a variety of molecular species with glycerol skeletons, enabling the design of molecules with highly tailored functionalities. The synthesis of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl glycidyl ether (TFGE, IUPAC name: 2-[(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)methyl]oxirane, CAS# 1535-91-7) was optimized to provide high yield/selectivity and good “green metrics.” TFGE was then used as a platform molecule in the synthesis of asymmetric glycerol 1,3-diether-2-alcohol derivatives, which were subsequently transformed to 1,2,3-triethers or 1,3-diether-2-ketones. The density, viscosity, and CO₂ solubility of each molecule were measured and compared with those of other glycerol-derived compounds as well as compounds with similar functional groups. Furthermore, quantum chemical calculations were performed to understand the structure–property–performance relationships of these molecules for CO₂ absorption. Based on the results in this work, we foresee that TFGE (and similar glycidyl ethers) would offer great flexibility in molecular design of green solvents and precursors to more complex compounds.     

醚基衣康酸多元共聚物阻垢剂合成条件研究

以衣康酸、丙烯磺酸钠、α-烯丙基甘油醚、次亚磷酸钠为单体,采用水溶性的自由基反应进行共聚合,制备含羧基、醚基、磺酸基、膦酸基的共聚物。考察了单体配比、引发剂用量、加料方式、反应时间和反应温度等因素对单体聚合和聚合物性能的影响,确定了聚合物阻垢剂的最佳合成条件。     

Preparation,surface-active properties and acid decomposition profiles of a new “soap” bearing a 1,3-dioxolane ring

New soap-type surfactants bearing a 1,3-dioxolane ring were prepared in good yields by the acid-catalyzed condensation of 1-O-alkylglycerols (alkyl: decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, heptadecyl, octadecyl, orcis-9-octadecenyl) with oxocarboxylic acid esters, followed by alkaline hydrolysis without any expensive reagent and special equipment. These surfactants were soluble in alkaline water at room temperature. Their critical micelle concentrations were much smaller than that of sodium dodecanoate. An alkaline solution of the octadecyl homologue was nonfoaming, but the other homologues, including thecis-9-octadecenyl derivative, showed high foaming ability in alkaline solutions. The structural effect of these compounds on the area per molecule at the surface is also discussed. Because these surfactants contain a 1,3-dioxolane ring, they can be utilized as a new acid-decomposable type of cleavable surfactant. At pH 1, they decompose almost completely into nonsurface-active species after 80 min.     

多功能阻燃剂聚醚多元醇亚磷(膦)酸酯的合成

以三溴苯基缩水甘油醚为阻燃单体，与环氧丙烷／环氧氯丙烷共聚制备具有阻燃特性聚醚多元醇，后者与亚磷酸三甲酯的酯交换反应和Arbuzov重排反应，合成了新型聚醚多元醇亚磷(膦)酸酯(PEPP)高分子阻燃剂。通过元素分析和IR及^1H NMR等分析方法对其化学结构进行了表征。研究了反应物料配比、催化剂、反应时间等因素对PEPP物理性质及收率的影响。应用试验结果表明，PEPP是一种热稳定性高、阻燃效果好，同时兼有增塑剂和抗氧剂功能的新型阻燃剂。     

寡甘醇单烷基醚的合成和性能

以寡甘醇和卤代烷为原料,利用相转移催化Ｗｉｌｌｉａｍｓｏｎ法合成了１２种寡甘醇单烷基醚,均获得较高产率。讨论了寡甘醇单醚合成的反应历程,并对其物理常数、水溶液的表面张力、起泡性能、临界胶束浓度进行了测试和分析。     

Metabolism of alkyl glyceryl ethers in the rat

The metabolism of¹⁴C- and³H-labeled alkyl glyceryl ethers after intraperitoneal injections was examined in the liver and intestine of the rat. Additionally, in vitro experiments were conducted with intestinal homogenates and intetinal contents. From these investigations it was concluded that the liver and the intestine metabolize the alkyl glyceryl ethers very differently. Intestinal contents can alter α-batyl alcohol, as indicated by preliminary experiments, and intestinal cells contain enzyme systems which convert the alkyl glyceryl ethers to the mono- and di-acyl derivatives. Very little esterified glyceryl ethers were found in the liver lipids. The intestine contains an enzyme system which, although it has a greater specificity for chain length and for isomeric position of the ether than that of the liver system, does cleave the glyceryl ethers. From in vivo studies, of intestinal tissue it was concluded that all of the injected glyceryl ethers were converted intact the ethanolamine, serine, and choline alkyl glyceryl ether phospholipids; with the use of α-batyl alcohol, the phosphatidyl ethanolamine fraction, contained most of the labeled glyceryl ether phospholipid with β-batyl alcohol, α-chimyl, and β-chimyl alcohols, the phosphatidyl, choline fraction contained most of the labeled alkyl glyceryl ether phospholipid. No significant amount (<1%) of labeled alkyl glyceryl ether phospholipids was found in any of the rat-liver lipids. Predoctoral trainee supported by Public Health Service Training Grant 5TI-GM-404-04 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health. Work done in partial fulfillment of the Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of North Carolina.     

Addition of carbon dioxide to allyl glycidyl ether using ionic liquids catalysts

The addition of carbon dioxide to allyl glycidyl ether (AGE) was investigated without using any solvent in the presence of ionic liquid as catalyst. Ionic liquids based on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMIm), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (BMIm), and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium (HMIm) with different anions such as Cl⁻, BF₄⁻, PF₆⁻ were used as catalysts. The reaction was performed in a 50 mL stainless steel autoclave. The conversion of allyl glycidyl ether was affected by the structure of imidazolium salt ionic liquids; the one with the cation of bulkier alkyl chain length and with more nucleophilic anion showed better reactivity. Reaction temperature and carbon dioxide pressure enhanced the addition of carbon dioxide to AGE.     

Quantitative determination of alk-1-enyl- and alkyl-glyceryl ethers in neutral lipids and phospholipids

A quantitative method for the simultaneous determination of alk-l-enyl- and alkyl-glyceryl ethers is described. Complete hydrogenolysis of carboxylate and phosphate esters of neutral lipids and phospholipids was achieved with lithium aluminum hydride. The hydrogenolysis products of the glyceryl ether containing lipids, alk-l-enyl- and alkyl-glyceryl ethers and alcohols, were identified by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas-liquid chromatography (GLC), and infrared spectroscopy. The alk-l-enyl- and alkyl-glyceryl ethers were quantitated by TLC photodensitometry. The specificity of this method can also be extended when used in conjunction with GLC, ion-complexing TLC, zonal scanning, and autoradiography to study composition, isomeric form, and the biosynthesis of glyceryl ethers in neutral and phospholipids. The percentage of alk-l-enyl- and alkyl-glyceryl ethers in bothtthe neutral lipids and phospholipids of various rat tissues was determined by the described method. Glyceryl ether glycerides represent 0.3–1.2% of the total neutral lipids whereas the glyceryl ether phosphatides of brain, heart, marrow, muscle, and spleen represent 4.5–12.0% of their total phospholipids. Higher concentrations of glyceryl alkyl than of alk-l-enyl ethers were found in the neutral lipids whereas the glyceryl alk-l-enyl ethers were found to predominate in the phospholipids. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, Chicago, October 1967. Under contract with the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.     

Glyceryl ether,wax ester and triglyceride composition of the mouse preputial gland

Major lipid classes of the preputial gland of the mouse have been identified as wax ester, neutral plasmalogen, glyceryl ether diester and triglyceride. The chain lengths and degree of unsaturation in the aliphatic moieties of the alk-1-enyl and alkyl glyceryl ethers are similar to those of the fatty alcohols of the wax ester fraction. This lends support to the theory that long chain fatty alcohols can be direct precursors of the aliphatic chains of glyceryl ethers. The striking qualitative, as well as quantitative, similarities between the alkyl and alk-1-enyl moieties of the glyceryl ethers in the neutral lipid fraction suggest that they share a common pathway of biosynthesis or are interconvertible. Neutral plasmalogens and glyceryl ether diesters contain significant amounts of odd-numbered and branched fatty acids, unlike the fatty acids of the triglycerides; therefore, the biosynthesis of neutral plasmalogens and glyceryl ether diesters may not be related to the biosynthesis of triglycerides. Presented at the AOCS Meeting, Chicago, October, 1967. Taken from a dissertation submitted to Tulane University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Gail Sansone.     

Star-Shaped Poly(furfuryl glycidyl ether)-Block-Poly(glyceryl glycerol ether) as an Efficient Agent for the Enhancement of Nifuratel Solubility and for the Formation of Injectable and Self-Healable Hydrogel Platforms for the Gynaecological Therapies

In this paper, we present novel well-defined unimolecular micelles constructed a on poly(furfuryl glycidyl ether) core and highly hydrophilic poly(glyceryl glycerol ether) shell, PFGE-b-PGGE. The copolymer was synthesized via anionic ring-opening polymerization of furfuryl glycidyl ether and (1,2-isopropylidene glyceryl) glycidyl ether, respectively. MTT assay revealed that the copolymer is non-cytotoxic against human cervical cancer endothelial (HeLa) cells. The copolymer thanks to furan moieties in its core is capable of encapsulation of nifuratel, a hydrophobic nitrofuran derivative, which is a drug applied in the gynaecology therapies that shows a broad antimicroorganism spectrum. The study shows high loading capacity of the copolymer, i.e., 146 mg of nifuratel per 1 g of copolymer. The load unimolecular micelles were characterized using DLS and TEM microscopy and compared with the reference glyceryl glycerol ether homopolymer sample. The presence of numerous 1,2-diol moieties in the shell of PFGE-b-PGG macromolecules enabled the formation of reversible cross-links with 2-acrylamidephenylboronic acid-based polyacrylamide. The obtained hydrogels were both injectable and self-healable, which was confirmed with a rheological study.     

A New Series of Double-Chain Single-Head Sulfobetaine Surfactants Derived from 1,3-Dialkyl Glyceryl Ether for Reducing Crude Oil/Water Interfacial Tension

A new series of sulfobetaine surfactants with double-chain single-head structure were derived from 1,3-dialkyl glyceryl ethers and their performances in reducing Daqing crude oil/connate water interfacial tension (IFT) in the absence of alkali were studied. With a large hydrophilic head group and double hydrophobic chains, these surfactants are efficient at reducing crude oil/connate water IFT. Those with didecyl and dioctyl are good hydrophobic surfactants that can reduce Daqing crude oil/connate water to ultra-low IFT by mixing with a small molar fraction of various conventional single-chain hydrophilic surfactants, such as α-olefin sulfonates, dodecyl polyoxyethylene (10) ether, and cetyl dimethyl hydroxypropyl sulfobetaine. The asymmetric double-chain sulfobetaine derived from 1-decyl-3-hexyl glyceryl ether can reduce Daqing crude oil/connate water IFT to ultra-low solely over a wide concentration range (0.03–10 mM or 0.0017–0.58 wt.%), which allows for use of an individual surfactant instead of mixed surfactants to avoid chromatographic separation in the reservoir. In addition, formulations rich in sulfobetaine surfactants show low adsorption on sandstone, keeping the negatively charged solid surface water-wet, and forming crude oil-in-water emulsions. These new sulfobetaine surfactants are, therefore, good candidates for surfactant-polymer flooding free of alkali.