Method for producing high-purity ceramide

摘要

Provided is a method for producing an optically active ceramide by an N-acylation (amidation) reaction of an optically active aminodiol, wherein a crude ceramide produced therein is purified by an industrially advantageous process. Namely, provided is a method for producing a high-purity ceramide that has high diastereo purity with high yield. A high-purity ceramide is produced by: a step wherein a ceramide represented by general formula (1) is produced by reacting an aminodiol with an alkyl ester having 1-5 carbon atoms of an aliphatic carboxylic acid having 12-24 carbon atoms, said aliphatic carboxylic acid optionally having a hydroxyl group, in a hydrocarbon solvent having 5-10 carbon atoms; and a step wherein an alcohol having 1-3 carbon atoms is added into the reaction mixture obtained in the preceding step, thereby causing crystals to precipitate.;
(In the formula, R1 represents an alkyl group which has 13-17 carbon atoms and optionally has a carbon-carbon unsaturated bond; R2 represents an alkyl group which has 11-23 carbon atoms and optionally has a hydroxyl group; and * represents an optically active state.).

主权项

1. A method for producing a high-purity ceramide, the method comprising:
a process of producing a ceramide represented by the following general formula (1) by reacting an aminodiol represented by the following general formula (2) with a 1 to 5 carbon atoms of alkyl ester of an aliphatic carboxylic acid having 12 to 24 carbon atoms, wherein the aliphatic carboxylic acid optionally has hydroxyl group(s), in a hydrocarbon solvent having 5 to 10 carbon atoms; and a process of adding an alcohol having 1 to 3 carbon atoms into the reaction mixture obtained in the preceding process to cause crystals to precipitate, (wherein R1 represents an alkyl group having 13 to 17 carbon atoms which optionally has carbon-carbon unsaturated bond(s); R2 represents an alkyl group having 11 to 23 carbon atoms which optionally has hydroxyl group(s); and * indicates an optically active center) (wherein R1 represents an alkyl group having 13 to 17 carbon atoms which optionally has carbon-carbon unsaturated bond(s); and * indicates an optically active center).