Selective Reduction of Phospholipids with Lithium Aluminum Hydride I. Ovolecithin

The optimum conditions for cleavage of the fatty acid ester linkages in the lecithin molecule were found to be 20 min. at 10°C with the use of two moles of lithium aluminum hydride per mole of lecithin. The product formed under these conditions was identified to be L-α-glycerylphosphorylcholine when ovolecithin which was shown to be L-α-lecithin was used. Discussion has been presented as to two mechanisms possibly participating in the cleavage of glycerylphosphorylcholine, one involving a complex formation with the phosphoryl group and the other with the cationic nitrogen atom of the choline base.