Synthesis and aqueous phase behavior of 1-glyceryl monooleyl ether

Synthesis of 1-glyceryl monooleyl ether (GME) has been accomplished yielding material of high purity (99.6%). The aqueous phase behavior of synthesized lipid has been investigated by using polarized microscopy and small angle X-ray diffraction. As a result, a partial temperature-composition phase diagram has been constructed. GME forms a reversed micellar solution and reversed hexagonal liquid crystalline phase at low and high hydration, respectively. The hexagonal phase coexists with excess water and is stable up to about 63 degreesC. These findings make GME an interesting alternative to glycerol monoesters in various fields of applications. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.