Patent ID: 6017426
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for the preparation of a ceramide compound represented by formula (I): ##STR3## comprising reacting an amino alcohol represented by formula (II): ##STR4## with an acid represented by formula (III):R.sub.1 --COOH,at a temperature of at most 180.degree. C. while irradiating the reaction mixture with microwaves, whereinR.sub.1 is(1) a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.50 hydrocarbon radical, wherein the hydrocarbon radical is optionally substituted with one or more hydroxyl groups, wherein each hydroxyl group is optionally esterified with an acid represented by the formula R.sub.7 COOH, wherein R.sub.7 is an optionally mono- or polyhydroxylated, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.35 hydrocarbon radical, wherein each hydroxyl group of the R.sub.7 radical is optionally esterified with an optionally mono- or polyhydroxylated, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.35 fatty acid,(2) a radical represented by the formula R""--(NR--CO)--R', whereinR is a hydrogen atom or a mono- or polyhydroxylated C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 hydrocarbon radical, andR' and R"" are each, independently, a hydrocarbon radical, wherein the sum of the carbon atoms in R' and R"" is 9 to 30, and R' is a divalent radical, or(3) a radical represented by the formula R.sub.8 --O--CO--(CH.sub.2).sub.p, whereinR.sub.8 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 hydrocarbon radical, andp is an integer from 1 to 12;R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom, or an optionally mono- or polyhydroxylated, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.30 hydrocarbon radical, wherein each hydroxyl group is optionally etherified with a (glycosyl).sub.n, (galactosyl).sub.m, sulphogalactosyl, phosphorylethylamine or phosphorylethylammonium radical, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 4 and m is an integer from 1 to 8;R.sub.3 is a saturated or unsaturated C.sub.1 -C.sub.32 hydrocarbon radical, wherein the hydrocarbon radical is optionally substituted with one or more hydroxyl groups, wherein the hydroxyl groups are optionally esterified with an acid represented by the formula R.sub.7 COOH, wherein R.sub.7 is an optionally mono- or polyhydroxylated, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.35, hydrocarbon radical, and wherein R.sub.3 is optionally substituted with one or more C.sub.1 -C.sub.14 alkyl radicals;R.sub.4 is a hydrogen atom, a methyl radical, an ethyl radical, an optionally hydroxylated, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched C.sub.3 -C.sub.50 hydrocarbon radical, or a radical represented by the formula --CH.sub.2 --CHOH--CH.sub.2 --O--R.sub.6, wherein R.sub.6 is a C.sub.10 -C.sub.26 hydrocarbon radical or a radical represented by the formula R.sub.8 --O--CO--(CH.sub.2).sub.p, wherein R.sub.8 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 hydrocarbon radical, and p is an integer from 1 to 12; andR.sub.5 is a hydrogen atom or a saccharide radical.