638-36-8

Basic information

• Product Name: PHYTANE
• Synonyms: PHYTANE;Hexadecane, 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-;hexadecane,2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-;Phytan;tetrahydroneophytadiene;2,6,10,14-TETRAMETHYLHEXADECANE;PHYTANE, STANDARD FOR GC;2,6,10,14-Tetramethylhexdecane
• CAS NO: 638-36-8
• Molecular Formula: C₂₀H₄₂
• Molecular Weight: 282.55
• EINECS: 211-332-2
• Mol File: 638-36-8.mol
• Article Data: 4

Chemical Properties

• Boiling Point: 69-71 °C0.001 mm Hg(lit.)
• Flash Point: 150.2 °C
• Appearance: /Liquid
• Density: 0.791 g/mL at 20 °C(lit.)
• Vapor Pressure: 0.000526mmHg at 25°C
• Refractive Index: 1.437
• Storage Temp.: Refrigerator
• Solubility: Chloroform (Slightly), Hexane (Slightly)
• BRN: 1744639
• CAS DataBase Reference: PHYTANE(CAS DataBase Reference)
• NIST Chemistry Reference: PHYTANE(638-36-8)
• EPA Substance Registry System: PHYTANE(638-36-8)

Safety Data

• Safety Statements: 24/25
• WGK Germany: 3
• Hazardous Substances Data: 638-36-8(Hazardous Substances Data)

Usage

Uses

Phytane is a useful intermediate, which is involved in the manufacturing and analysis of various compounds. Phytane has recently been used in the development of a stable and environmental-friendly lubricating oil. By determining the ration of !3C to 12C in phytane isolated from ocean sediments researchers in the Netherlands have been able to quantify CO2 levels reaching back to the Cambrian period when animals emerged on the earth.

InChI:InChI=1/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

Upstream product

• 45316-02-7 2,6,10,14,19,23,27,31-octamethyldotriacontane 
• 253686-88-3 (E)-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadec-2-en-1-ol 
• 91-17-8 decalin 
• 645-72-7 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-hexadecanol 
• 60-29-7 diethyl ether 
• 7541-49-3 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol 
• 7664-93-9 sulfuric acid 
• 100566-23-2 dihydrophytyl tosylate 

Downstream Products

• 98640-75-6 2,6,10,14-tetramethylhexadecanoic acid 
• 72720-15-1 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-1-hexadecanol 
• 6864-53-5 norfarnesane 
• 2051-30-1 2,6-dimethyloctane 
• 3891-98-3 2,6,10-trimethyldodecane 
• 17302-28-2 2,6-Dimethylnonane 
• 2883-04-7 2,6,11-trimethyl-tridecane 
• 17301-23-4 2,6-dimethyl-undecane 

Relevant articles and documents

Process for hydrogenation of carboxylic acids and derivatives to hydrocarbons

A process for hydrogenating a carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof having a carboxylate group represented by the general formula R1COO-, which process comprises feeding hydrogen and the carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof to a reactor and maintaining conditions within the reactor such that hydrogen reacts with the carboxylic acid and/or derivative thereof to produce a product stream comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane and hydrocarbons represented by general formulae R1H and R1CH3, characterised in that the molar ratio of R1H : R1CH3 is above a pre-determined value and/or the mole ratio of the sum of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane to carboxylate groups is above a pre-determined value.

Microbial Oxidation of Isoprenoid Alkanes, Phytane, Norpristane and Farnesane

Rhodococcus sp.BPM 1613, a pristane oxidizing microorganism, grows on isoprenoid hydrocarbons such as phytane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylhexadecane), norpristane (2,6,10-trimethyl-pentadecane) and farnesane (2,6,10-trimethyldodecane) as the sole carbon source, resulting in accumulation of oxidation products in the culture broth.The oxidation products of phytane, norpristane and farnesane in the respective culture broth were isolated and purified by the use of silica gel column chromatography.Their chemical structures were determined by instrumental analyses such as IR, NMR and mass spectrometry.The oxidation products of phytane were identified as 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-1-hexadecanol and 2,6,10,14-tetramethylhexadecanoic acid, the product of norpristane as 2,6,10-trimethyl-1-pentadecanol, and that of farnesane as 2,6,10-trimethyl-1-dodecanol.All these oxidation products were either monoalcohols or monocarboxylic acids derived through oxidation of the isopropyl terminus of each alkane.In addition, the relationship between the terminal structure of isoprenoid hydrocarbons and microbial oxidation was explored on the basis of these results.