Polymorphism of ceramide 3. Part 2: a vibrational spectroscopic and X-ray powder diffraction investigation of N-octadecanoyl phytosphingosine and the analogous specifically deuterated d(35) derivative

In order to characterize the arrangements of the hydrocarbon chains of ceramide 3, the thermotropic phase behaviour of the ceramides N-octadecanoylphytosphingosine (CER3) and its chain deuterated derivative N-(d(35)-octadecanoyl)phytosphingosine (d(35)CER3) was studied by means of X-ray powder diffraction, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. CER3 and d(35)CER3 exhibit an identical thermotropic polymorphism involving three different crystalline phases. The selective deuteration of the fatty acid chain enables to distinguish the sphingoid part from the fatty acid part by means of FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. It could be shown that both hydrocarbon chains are arranged in different subcells. Temperature dependent Raman measurements elucidate simultaneously the changes in the trans/gauche ratios and the packing of both the hydrocarbon chains of the fatty acid and of the sphingoid part. The phase behaviour of CER3 and d(35)CER3, both dry and hydrated, was investigated.