Preparation of the major urinary metabolite of (−)-prostaglandin E2

The best way to measure whole body production of the locally acting hormone prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is to assess the accumulation of the major urinary metabolite, PGE2UM. A practical preparation of this delicate diacid is described. This synthetic PGE2UM will enable production of the antibodies that will be used to quantify this key metabolite.