Plant cells in culture are capable of incorporating exogenous 1‐O‐alkyl‐sn‐glycerols into various neutral and ionic ether lipids. 1‐O‐Alkyl‐2‐acyl‐sn‐glycerol‐3‐phosphocholines, the major class of compounds thus formed, are used for the preparation of platelet activating factor (PAF) in high yields. Similarly, the prochiral 2‐O‐alkyl‐sn‐glycerols are transformed to chiral 2‐O‐alkyl glycerophospholipids from which compounds can be obtained that exhibit antiviral activity in plant and animal cells. Reaction of 1‐O‐alkyl‐2‐acyl‐sn‐glycerol‐3‐phosphocholines with phospholipase D in the presence of ethanolamine leads to 1‐O‐alkyl‐2‐acyl‐sn‐glycerol‐3‐phosphoethanolamines, which serve as starting material, for the preparation of 1‐O‐alkyl‐2‐acyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phospho‐(N‐acyl)ethanolamines, compounds known to have antitumor activity.