16-(2'-o-glucopyranosylglucopyranosyloxy)hexadecanoic acid 1',4''-lactone 6',6''-diacetate

Description

You're asking about a rather complex molecule, and the name you provided is quite specific. Let's break down the structure and its potential importance:

**16-(2'-O-glucopyranosylglucopyranosyloxy)hexadecanoic acid 1',4''-lactone 6',6''-diacetate**

This name describes a molecule with the following key features:

* **Hexadecanoic Acid (Palmitic Acid):** This is a saturated fatty acid with 16 carbon atoms. It's a common component of fats and oils.
* **Glucopyranosylglucopyranosyloxy:** This indicates a disaccharide (two sugar units) linked to the fatty acid. The sugar is likely glucose in the pyranose form, meaning it forms a six-membered ring. The 2'-O- indicates the point of attachment of the disaccharide to the fatty acid.
* **1',4''-lactone:** This tells us a cyclic structure is formed within the disaccharide. Specifically, a lactone (an ester within a ring) connects the 1' and 4'' positions of the two glucose units.
* **6',6''-diacetate:** This signifies two acetyl groups (CH3CO-) are attached to the 6' and 6'' positions of the glucose units. These acetates are likely added to the molecule for various reasons, such as increased stability or ease of purification.

**Why it Might be Important in Research**

This specific compound is likely not a naturally occurring molecule. Researchers often synthesize such complex structures for various reasons:

* **Probing Biological Processes:** This molecule, with its fatty acid tail and sugar modifications, could be used to study interactions with enzymes or receptors involved in:
* **Lipid metabolism:** The fatty acid chain could be involved in interactions with enzymes involved in fatty acid breakdown or synthesis.
* **Glycobiology:** The sugar units could interact with carbohydrate-binding proteins (lectins) or enzymes that process complex sugars.
* **Cellular signaling:** The combination of a fatty acid and sugar could modulate cell signaling pathways.
* **Developing New Therapeutics:** This molecule could serve as a starting point for developing new drugs targeting specific biological pathways. The specific sugar modifications and the lactone ring could offer unique properties for interaction with target molecules.
* **Understanding Chemical Modifications:** The presence of the lactone ring and the acetates might be used to study how these modifications influence the molecule's behavior and stability.

**To learn more about the specific research interests surrounding this molecule, you'd need to:**

1. **Find the research publication:** The name you provided is very specific, so it's likely found in a scientific publication.
2. **Search databases:** Online databases like PubMed (for biomedical literature) or SciFinder (for chemical information) could help find relevant research.
3. **Contact the researchers:** If you find the relevant publication, you can reach out to the authors for further information.

Without knowing the specific context in which this molecule was studied, it's impossible to say for certain why it is important. However, the structure suggests it could be a valuable tool for exploring various biological and chemical processes.

16-(2'-O-glucopyranosylglucopyranosyloxy)hexadecanoic acid 1',4''-lactone 6',6''-diacetate: from Torulopsis apicola; structure given in first source [Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), National Library of Medicine, extracted Dec-2023]