Sialic acid arrived at it’s name through a fascinating set of twists and turns. Discovered and rediscovered several times, it went by many different names for several years. Eventually, several scientists working in the area published a note in the journal Nature to propose and clarify the nomenclature and usage. The neuraminic acid core of sialic acids can be N-acylated differentially, and O-acylated derivatives are also naturally occurring. The determination of it’s structure posed a challenge that took numerous years to solve.
For a nice write up of the history, see Hans Faillard’s essay.
For a nice write up of the history, see Hans Faillard’s essay.