(ω-2,ω-2,ω-3,ω-3)-Tetradeuterio-fatty acids for mechanistic studies of enzyme-catalyzed hydroxylation reactions.

Horner, John H.; Newcomb, Martin

Among the thousands of cytochrome P450 enzymes known, many selectively hydroxylate the hydrocarbon tail of fatty acids at the terminal (ω) position and the ω-1, ω-2, and ω-3 positions. A general method for synthesis of (ω-2,ω-2,ω-3,ω-3)-tetradeuterio-fatty acids that can be used in mechanistic studies of cytochromes P450 is illustrated by the synthesis of 9,9,10,10-tetradueteriododecanoic (lauric) acid and 13,13,14,14-tetradeuteriohexadecanoic (palmitic) acid. Deuterium is introduced early in the synthesis by reduction of the THP ether of 4-heptyn-1-ol with deuterium gas to give a common labeled intermediate, 4,4,5,5-tetradeuterioheptan-1-ol. This alcohol is converted to the corresponding tosylate that is used to alkylate O-protected (ω-1)-alkyn-1-ols to give, eventually, long-chain alcohols that are oxidized to the corresponding fatty acids. An important experimental detail is that relatively large amounts of Wilkinson's catalyst were used to limit isotopic scrambling. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Journal of Labelled Compounds & Radiopharmaceuticals, 2012, Vol 55, Issue 11, p406

0362-4803

Academic Journal

10.1002/jlcr.2959