Ulrich Schwieter

The Synthesis and Labeling of Vitamin A and Related Compounds

Publisher Summary Ever since the elucidation of the structure of vitamin A by Karrer, the synthesis of this rather unstable pentaene alcohol has been a challenge to chemists. Owing to patient and continuous efforts in many laboratories, there seems to be today an excellent picture of the possible synthetic routes to vitamin A. Although a wealth of information has been gathered on its synthesis, relatively little is known about the functions of vitamin A in the body. Knowledge on this subject broadened beginning with the advent of radioactive tracer methods. It therefore seems justified to take stock of the synthetic methods available, and to examine them as to their usefulness for the preparation of selectively labeled vitamin A compounds. These compounds will undoubtedly help the biochemists in their patient and often laborious investigations of the biological pathways that vitamin A and certain related compounds seem to control.