Glycosphingolipid having group capable of coupling in sphingoid portion

NEW MATERIAL: A compd. represented by formula I or II (wherein X and Y are a group capable of coupling and permitting coupling under conditions not changed in a starting molecule. EXAMPLE: A compd. represented by formula III. USE: A glycosphingolipid conjugate is provided by the coupling with a heterogenous difunctional reagent. Synthetic vaccine for treating tumors originating from a nervous germ layer. PROCESS: At first, glycosphingolipids represented by formula IV are decomposed by ozone in methanol and the formed methoxyhydroperoxide derivs. are reduced by dimethylsulfide. Subsequently, the reaction mixture is extracted with hexane to remove long chain aldehyde formed as a byproduct and, thereafter, the ozone decomposition product represented by formula V is reacted with sodium cyanoborohydride in methanol in the presence of 1M ammonium acetate to perform reductive amination to obtain the designated compd. COPYRIGHT: (C)1990,JPO