Very Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (VLC-PUFAs) are non-dietary fatty acids that are more than 24 carbons long and include more than one double bond. The specific compound we are focusing on is 32:6 n-3: a 32-carbon molecule having 6 cis alkenes with the alkenes beginning at the omega 3 carbon position. These molecules are involved in the membrane structure of the retina and have been anecdotally linked to macular degeneration. This disease leads to a degradation in vision that comes with age and can result in blindness, it is currently the leading cause of untreatable blindness in the United Sates. While a total synthesis of this molecule has been accomplished, optimization is required. In particular, we are interested in scaling up the synthesis as a means of providing an adequate supply for additional biological studies. In this poster we will present our progress on the optimization along with data from biological studies.

Synthesis of VLC-PUFAs as therapeutics for macular degenerative diseases

ACS Spring 2022

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