The α-hydroxy-n-fatty acids of yeast cerebrin

Abstract

The pure alpha-hydroxy-n-fatty acid component of yeast cerebrin obtained after alkaline saponification is optically active. Under the usual conditions of crystallization from hot solvents it separates as a gel. On slow cooling from hot ethanol under special conditions crystalline material was obtained. The crystals gave a good X-ray photograph showing the characteristic intensity distr. of an alpha-hydroxy-n-fatty acid. The observed spacing was that of the A form of alpha-hydroxy-n-hexacosanoic acid, indicating that a small amt. of homologous contaminant was present. Melting-point and X-ray data for the n-fatty acids given on oxidation show that the cerebrin hydroxy acid is alpha-hydroxy-n-hexacosanoic acid with not more than 10% of alpha-hydroxy-n-tetracosanoic acid.