Phytane

Phytane

Names
IUPAC name 2,6,10,14-Tetramethylhexadecane[1]
Identifiers
CAS Number	638-36-8
Beilstein Reference	1744639
ChEBI	CHEBI:48937
ChemSpider	12006 393886 6S,10S,14R
EC Number	211-332-2
Jmol interactive 3D	Image
MeSH	phytane
PubChem	12523 54081983 6R,10R 42627075 6R,10S,14S 446564 6S,10S,14R
InChI InChI=1S/C20H42/c1-7-18(4)12-9-14-20(6)16-10-15-19(5)13-8-11-17(2)3/h17-20H,7-16H2,1-6H3 Key: GGYKPYDKXLHNTI-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES CCC(C)CCCC(C)CCCC(C)CCCC(C)C
Properties
Chemical formula	C20H42
Molar mass	282.56 g·mol^−1
Appearance	Colourless liquid
Odor	Odourless
Density	791 mg mL^−1 (at 20 °C)
Boiling point	69 to 71 °C (156 to 160 °F; 342 to 344 K) at 100 mPa
Hazards
S-phrases	S24/25
Related compounds
Related alkanes	Pristane Squalane
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Infobox references

Phytane is a type of diterpenoid alkane. In contrast to pristane, which is formed from the dehydroxylation of phytol, it has one extra carbon.

Phytanyl is the corresponding substituent. Phytanyl groups are frequently found in phospholipids in membranes of thermophilic Archaea.^[2] These include caldarchaeol, a compound which contains two fused phytanyl chains.

It is used as a bio-marker in petroleum studies.^[3]

Unsaturated phytanes

Phytene is the singly unsaturated version of phytane. Phytene is also found as the functional group phytyl in many organic molecules of biological importance such as chlorophyll, tocopherol (Vitamin E) and phylloquinone (Vitamin K₁). Phytene's corresponding alcohol is phytol.

Geranylgeranene is the fully unsaturated form of phytane. The corresponding substituent is geranylgeranyl.

See also

• Archaeol

References

1. "phytane - Compound Summary". PubChem Compound. USA: National Center for Biotechnology Information. 27 March 2005. Identification and Related Records. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
2. Edited by Ricardo Cavicchioli (2007), Archaea, Washington, DC: ASM Press, ISBN 1-55581-391-7, OCLC 172964654
3. Hunt, J. (2002). "Early developments in petroleum geochemistry". Organic Geochemistry 33: 1025–1052. doi:10.1016/S0146-6380(02)00056-6.