Phospholipid studies of marine organisms: 14. Ether lipids of the sponge Tethya aurantia

The novel unesterified alkyl glycerol monoethers, (2S)‐1‐(hexadecyloxy)‐2,3‐propanediol ( 1 ), (2S)‐1‐(16‐methylheptadecyloxy)‐2,3‐propanediol ( 2 ) and (2S)‐1‐(15‐methylheptadecyloxy)‐2,3‐propanediol ( 3 ) were isolated from the marine sponge Tethya aurantia and were characterized by spectroscopic methods. These three saturated ethers as well as a series of alk‐1′‐enyl glycerol monoethers were also encountered in the phospholipids of the same sponge after reduction with LiAlH 4 . Incorporation experiments with dissociated cells of T. aurantia indicated that [1‐ 14 C]‐hexadecanol was incorporated into the unesterified alkyl glycerol monoethers.