7-Dehydrocholesterol-d6

7-Dehydrocholesterol-d6 is a deuterated form of 7-dehydrocholesterol, which is a precursor molecule for the synthesis of vitamin D3. It is used in research studies as a stable isotope labeled internal standard for the quantification of 7-dehydrocholesterol levels in biological samples. It is also used as a tracer molecule in metabolic studies to investigate the absorption and metabolism of vitamin D3 in humans and animals. Chemically, 7-Dehydrocholesterol-d6 is a sterol molecule with a molecular weight of 416.76 g/mol and a molecular formula of C27H37D6O. It is a yellowish-white crystalline powder that is stable under normal conditions. It is soluble in ethanol, methanol, chloroform, and ether but insoluble in water. The structure of 7-Dehydrocholesterol-d6 is similar to that of cholesterol, with the exception of a double bond between carbon 7 and 8. This double bond is essential for the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D3 in the skin upon exposure to ultraviolet B radiation. The deuterium atoms in 7-Dehydrocholesterol-d6 are incorporated into the molecule to provide a stable isotope labeled internal standard for accurate quantification of 7-dehydrocholesterol levels in biological samples.