A facile and regiospecific tritiation of sphingosine: Synthesis of (2S,3R,4E)‐2‐amino‐4‐octadecene‐1,3‐diol‐1‐3H

Abstract
An easy technique for introduction of tritium into the 1‐position of sphingosine was developed, employing regiospecific oxidation of the primary hydroxy group followed by reduction with NaB3H4. An improved preparation of N,N‐dimethylsphingosine and its quaternization are also described.