As depicted in Scheme III, 1-Hexadecyl-2-(5′,6′-dihydroxy-hexanyl)-glycerol (7.84 grams) was dissolved in isopropanol (50 ml) and water (12 ml). NaIO4 (9 grams) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours. Water (50 ml) was added and the reaction mixture extracted with chloroform (3×50 ml), dried over anhydrous Na2SO4, filtered and the solvent removed under reduced pressure yielding 5.56 grams. The crude product was dissolved in ethanol (60 ml) and glacial acetic acid (2.3 grams). Girard's reagent T (5.6 grams) was added and the reaction mixture was refluxed for 2 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled in ice-bath, alkaline solution (2.3 grams in 45 ml water) was added and the mixture was extracted with ether (3×25 ml). The etheral phase was washed with water and the water combined with the alkaline phase. The aqueous phase was acidified with concentrated HCl (4.4 ml) and extracted with ether (3×25 ml). Washing with water, saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate (3×25 ml), water (2×25 ml), drying over anhydrous Na2SO4 and removal of the solvent under reduced pressure gave 1.95 grams (0.0049 mol) of 1-Hexadecyl-2-(5′-oxo-pentanyl)-glycerol (26.9% yield).
