A highly efficient synthesis of [1-13C, 18O]- and [1-13C, 2H2]-glycerol for the elucidation of biosynthetic pathways

Labeled glycerol is a widely used biochemical probe to investigate biosynthetic pathways. A highly efficient synthesis of [1-13C, 18O]- and [1-13C, 2H2]-glycerol is described in which the 13C label is introduced using cyanide. The 18O label was introduced by a Pinner synthesis and reduction of the ester 5 allowed incorporation of the 2H labels.