Nervon, structure

From saponification of cerebrosides, lipids found in the membranes of brain and nerve cells therc is obtained nervonic acid. This acid rapidly decolorizes dilute KMn04 and Br2/CCl4 solutions. Hydrogenation in the presence of nickel yields tetracosanoic acid, W-C23H47COOH. Vigorous oxidation of nervonic acid yields one acid of neutralization equivalent 156 3 and another acid of neutralization equivalent 137 2. What structure or structures are possible for nervonic acid ... 

Since the oxidation of nervonic acid cleaved its lone carbon-carbon double bond to yield two carboxylic acids, the joining of these two acids should give us the structure of nervonic acid. In joining these acids, we must remove four oxygens to give us the carbon-carbon double bond of nervonic acid. 

As we can see, both the cis and trans structures are possible it is actually the trans isomer that is called nervonic acid. The hydrogenation and oxidation reactions were as follows ... 

Fig. 9.4. Structure of a multipolar cell neuron, which is the one that predominates in nervons system of vertebrates. It varies in shape, especially in the length of the axon and the number of dendrites.

Amphetamine (also known as Benzedrine ) is a powerfnl nervons system stimulant with an amine structure similar to that of epinephrine ... 

Chemical synthesis of the palmitoyl- and stearoyl-derivatives of dihydrosphingomyelin confirmed this structure (Shapiro et al. 1958). Long chain saturated fatty acids, mono- and even diunsaturated fatty acids (predominantly stearic, lignoceric and nervonic acids) have been isolated from sphingomyelin, but no hydroxy fatty acids (Sweeley 1963 Kishimoto et al. 1963 O Brien et al. 1964). 

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