sn nomenclature

The virtual base of all sn compounds: sn-glycerine

The sn nomenclature (sn for stereospecific numbering ) stands for the stereospecific sn configuration, which describes the structure of chiral derivatives of glycerol .

nomenclature

The achiral carbon atom, which is located above the chiral second chain atom, is numbered as C1 , the chiral middle carbon atom is accordingly numbered C2 , with the hydroxyl group pointing to the left. Referring to the Cahn-Ingold-Prelog convention ( R / S nomenclature ), sn-glycerin are derivatives of the virtual, because prochiral “2 R ” -glycerin.

A phosphoglyceride with sn configuration: The residues R ¹ and R ² (blue) stand for fatty acid (acyl) residues, R ³ (magenta) for the alcoholic head group.

The sn configuration occurs in almost all natural glycerol derivatives such as fats and other lipids . Furthermore, in all biological phosphoglycerides (with the exception of a few in archaea ) the polar head group , which contains an alcohol via a phosphate residue , is bound to the C3 atom.

Web links

• Nomenclature of Lipids
• The Lipid Library ( Memento of October 14, 2008 in the Internet Archive )

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Gregor Cevc: Phospholipids Handbook. CRC Press, 1993, ISBN 978-0-8247-9050-9 , p. 2.
2. ^ IUPAC : Nomenclature of Lipids: Recommendations Lip-1 and Lip-2 .