Sodium di-polyprenyl phosphates form “primitive” membranes

The bis phosphoric esters of dimethylallyl alcohol, isopentenol, geraniol, farnesol and geranylgeraniol have been prepared through the phosphites in order to evaluate their phase properties in water. The sodium and calcium salts of the first two are soluble in water; the others easily form closed vesicles. These could be representative of “primitive” biomembranes. Sodium di-geranyl phosphate and higher homologues, synthesized via the phosphites, form in water closed vesicles, which may be models of “prebiotic” membranes.