Patent ID: 7763738

Claim:
A method of preparing an acylated ceramide compound represented by the following structural formula: R 1 is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group; R 2 and R 3 are independently —H, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic group or, taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, are a substituted or unsubstituted non-aromatic heterocyclic ring; and R 7 is a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic group; said method comprising the steps of: a) reacting an acyclic compound represented by the following structural formula: with an amide reducing agent, thereby forming an amine compound represented by the following structural formula: b) debenzylating the —NHCH(—CH 2 OH)R 5 group of the amine compound, thereby forming a sphingosine-like compound represented by the following structural formula: c) acylating the primary amine group of the sphingosine-like compound, thereby forming the acylated ceramide compound.