STEREOSPECIFIC ANALYSIS OF TRIACYL-SN-GLYCEROLS BY CHIRAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A method for the stereospecific analysis of triacyl-sn-glycerols by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a chiral column is described. Triacyl-sn-glycerols were partially degraded with ethyl magnesium bromide, and the monoacylglycerols produced were separated as 1- and 2-monoacylglycerol fractions by thin-layer chromatography on boric acid-impregnated silica gel plates. The 1-monoacylglycerols were resolved into sn-1 and sn-3 monoacylglycerol fractions by HPLC on a chiral column (Sumichiral OA-4100) after derivatization with 3,5-dinitrophenyl isocyanate. Fatty acid methyl esters obtained from the original triacyl-sn-glycerols, 1- and 2-monoacylglycerol fractions, and sn1 and sn-3 monoacylglycerol fractions were analyzed by gas chromatography on open-tubular columns. Stereospecific acyl distributions in triacyl-sn-glycerols were calculated from the data. The acyl distributions of several oils were obtained. The method is rapid, simple and gave reproducible results.