Characterization of the alkyl ether species of phosphatidylcholine in bovine heart

The molecular types of lecithin in beef heart lipids were investigated by a combination of mild hydrolytic procedures and silicic acid chromatography. The major species of sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (GPC) were found to be: diacyl-GPC (57%), alk-l-enyl, acyl-GPC (39%), alkyl acyl-GPC (3%), and dialkyl-GPC ( less than 1%). No di-alk-l-enyl-GPC or alk-l-enyl alkyl-GPC were detected. The derived monoalkyl-and dialkyl-glycerols were characterized by their infrared spectra and alkyl chain compositions.