Synthesis of phosphatidylcholines containing ricinoleic acid

1,2-Diricinoleoyl- and 1-ricinoleoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine were synthesised with good yields. The synthesis started with the preparation of ricinoleic acid from castor oil. The choice of a suitable agent to protect the –OH group of ricinoleic acid was a key factor to afford the final products. Several protecting groups were assayed but only β-methoxyethoxymethyl chloride (MEMCl) and 2,2,2-trichloroethyl chloroformate (TRECCl) gave reasonable yields and good optical purities of the final products. The overall yields for 1,2-diricinoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-ricinoleoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine were 32.1% (with respect to ricinoleic acid methyl ester using TREC as protecting group) and 10.3% (with respect to 1-trityl-glycero-3-phosphocholine), respectively.