Synthesis and properties of phosphatidyl carnitine and phosphatidyl beta-methylcholine.

rac-Phosphatidyl carnitine and rac-phosphatidyl beta-methylcholine were synthesized by direct condensation of phosphatidic acid and the appropriate alcohols in the presence of 2,4,6-triiso-propylbenzenesulphonylchloride and pyridine. Tetraphenylborates of the quarternary ammonium compounds beta-methylcholine and carnitine benzyl ester were shown to be particularly convenient for synthesis in homogeneous phase. Physical and chemical properties of the two phosphoglycerolipids and some intermediates were described. Phosphatidyl carnitine and phosphatidyl beta-methylcholine were hydrolyzed by phospholipase A2 (phosphatide acyl-hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.4), pancreatic lipase (triacylglycerol acyl-hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.3), and phospholipase C from Bacillus cereus (phosphatidylcholine cholinephosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.3). Neither hydrolysis nor transphosphatidylation of phosphatidyl carnitine and phosphatidyl beta-methylcholine was achieved by phospholipase D (phosphatidylcholine phosphatidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.4). The occurrence of phosphatidyl carnitine in embryonic chicken tissue was suggested by comparison with the synthesized compound. Phosphatidyl carnitine could not be detected in the tissue of rat embryos.