Preparative scale isolation of sphingosine

A high-yield method is described for the preparation of sphingenine from galactosylceramide. Two successive cleavage reactions are used, alkaline butanol to form galactosylsphingosine, then acidic acetonitrile to form the sphingenine. A column purification procedure utilizing silica gel is described. The method is superior to previously described methods in its rapidity and avoidance of isomerization and contamination by racemization and rearrangement products.