Synthesis, calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction of lecithins containing branched fatty acid chains

Lecithins with branched fatty acid chains were synthesized and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The influence of three chemical alterations on the phase transition parameters were investigated: length of the branches in 2-position of the acyl chains, position of the branches in the acyl chains, and position of the branched fatty acid chains in the glycerol backbone. The results show that the branched phosphatidylcholines (PCs) have a reduced gel-to-liquid-crystalline phase transition temperature (Tm) compared to the corresponding straight-chain PCs. Depending on both the length of the branches in 2-position of the acyl chains and the position of the branches in the acyl chains, the Tm-values pass through a minimum. The systematic change of the main-transition temperatures Tm is connected with a modified structural polymorphism. If the length of the branches increases three types of polymorphism were observed.