Sphingolipid production

Method for the production of a sphingolipid of formula (1):

• wherein
• W is H or a glycosyl moiety,
• R1 is H, aryl, or a C1-50 alkyl, preferably a C1-15 alkyl, more preferably a C10-15 alkyl, which may be saturated or contain one or more double and/or triple bonds, and/or which may contain one or more functional groups, the functional group being preferably selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, an acylamido group, a thiol, a thioether or a phosphorus-containing functional group,
• R2 is H, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-6 alkyl, or a substituted or unsubstituted C1-6 acyl,
• R3 is selected from a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, a heteroalkyl, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-31 alkyl which may be saturated or unsaturated, preferably a substituted or unsubstituted C9-31 alkyl which may be saturated or unsaturated;
• from a lysosphingolipid of formula (2), or a salt thereof:
• wherein
• W, R1, and R2 are as defined as for the sphingolipid of formula (1), and
• the method comprising reacting the lysosphingolipid salt of formula (2), or the salt thereof with an ester of formula (3):
• wherein
• R3 is as defined as for the sphingolipid of formula (1), and
• R4 is a C1-C4 alkyl, preferably selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, or isobutyl, more preferably selected from methyl, or ethyl:
• in the presence of a base, in an alcohol solvent.