Lipid extracting properties of 2,2-dimethoxypropane as revealed by electron microscopy and thin layer chromatography

Dehydration with 2,2-dimethoxypropane acidified with either 1 N HCL or 0.05 N HCL in an 1:100 ratio has been found to extract various biologically active lipids. The effect is enhanced by an increased proton concentration and seems to occur only after complete H2O transformation. It is suggested that lipid extraction is caused by a reoxidation of lower osmium oxides with subsequent attack on the unfixed lipids by the organic solvent DMP.