Preparation of omega trideuterated sulfidopeptide leukotrienes: analysis by FAB/MS

C-20 Trideuterated leukotriene A4 methyl ester was prepared by Wittig condensation of a deuterated C9-phosphonium salt with a C11-epoxydienal. It was then treated separately with glutathione, cysteinylglycine and cysteine. The resulting esters were saponified to give C-20 trideuterated leukotrienes C4, D4 and E4 respectively. Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry showed that the synthetic compounds contained from 0.5 to 1.0% protium impurity. Introduction of deuterium at C-20 ensures that it is stable to a wide variety of reagents and reaction conditions. The deuterated leukotrienes will serve as internal standards for the quantitative analysis by mass spectrometry of endogenous sulfidopeptide leukotrienes present in biological fluids.