Rapid access to structured triacylglycerols acylated with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for nutritional applications

In order to better understand the metabolic fate of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), an efficient access to symmetrical and unsymmetrical triacylglycerols (TGs), esterified with PUFAs, with known high purity, is required. In this context, we optimized the esterification of a mixture of glycerols protected as dioxane and dioxolane with PUFAs. The kinetics of this reaction depends on various factors, such as the fatty acid chain length and the stereochemistry of the dioxane. Then, one-pot acetal hydrolysis and esterification of hydroxyl groups led to the desired structured TGs without either double bond isomerization or acyl migration (except when symmetrical TGs are acylated with long-chain saturated fatty acids in external positions). PUFAs location on the glycerol backbone was assayed by NMR, HPLC and pancreatic lipase hydrolysis.