Phosphatide separation

Abstract

N-acylphosphatides, for instance N-acetylcephalin, are separated from phosphatides without an acylatabe amino group, for instance lecithin, by making a mixture containing them acid to the equivalent of pH less than 3.5 under aqueous conditions and solvent-fractionating with acetone or methyl acetate.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for separating an N-acylcephalin and a phosphatide without an acylatable amino group from a mixture comprising them which comprises adding to the mixture a sufficient amount of an acid to provide the equivalent of pH less than 3.5 under aqueous conditions, extracting the mixture with acetone or methyl acetate, and separating the phases containing the N-acylcephalin and the phosphatide without an acylatable amino group. 
     
     
       2. A process for the treatment of phosphatides, which comprises contacting a phosphatide mixture that comprises cephalin .[.as.]. .Iadd.and .Iaddend.a non-N-acylatable phosphatide with an acylating agent to convert the cephalin to N-acylcephalin, adding to .Iadd.the .Iaddend.reaction mixture a sufficient amount of an acid to provide the equivalent of pH less than 3.5 under aqueous conditions, extracting the mixture with acetone or methyl acetate, and separating the phases containing the .[.N-acylphosphatide.]. .Iadd.N-acylcephalin .Iaddend.and the .[.N-acylcephalin.]. .Iadd.non-N-acylatable .Iaddend.phosphatide. 
     
     
       3. A process according to claim 2, wherein the phosphatide mixture comprises cephalin and lecithin. 
     
     
       4. A process according to claim 3, wherein the phosphatide mixture contains from 0.1 to 20 parts of lecithin to each part by weight of cephalin. 
     
     
       5. A process according to claim 3, wherein the acylating agent is a fatty acid anhydride. 
     
     
       6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the acid anhydride is acetic anhydride. 
     
     
       7. A process according to claim 5, wherein the completion of acylation is promoted by removal from the reaction mixture of the free fatty acid formed. 
     
     
       8. A process according to claim 7, wherein free fatty acid formed is removed by distillation. 
     
     
       9. A process according to claim 8, wherein the acid is removed by evaporation under reduced pressure. 
     
     
       10. A process according to claim 1, wherein the extraction solvent is acetone. 
     
     
       11. A process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction mixture containing N-acylcephalin is made acid to the equivalent of pH from 2 to 3 under aqueous conditions. 
     
     
       12. A process according to claim 11, wherein the acid pH is provided by an acid of pK a  less than 2.5. 
     
     
       13. A process according to claim 1, wherein the acid pH is provided by hydrochloric acid. 
     
     
       14. A process according to claim 1, wherein the acid pH is provided by orthophosphoric acid.