Synthesis of tritium-labelled arachidonic and eicosapentaenic acids containing tracer near concrete double bond

A series of monoacetylene derivatives of polyene fatty acids is synthesized. Oxidation of methylarachidonate by metachloroperbenzoic acid resulted in formation of a mixture of monoepoxy derivatives, that without separation were changed into monoacetylene analogues of arachidonic acid. Then mixture was separated by HELC (high-efficiency liquid chromatography method). The synthesized methyl esters of polyene acids were selectively reduced by gaseous tritium over the Lindlar catalyst with the following purification by the HELC method. From monoacetylene analogues of arachidonic and eicosapentaenic acids with 50-60% yield and molar radioactivity of 0.92-1.3 TBq/mmol the corresponding polyene acids were produced