Separation of lipids containing phytanic acid by thin-layer chromatography.

Cholesteryl phytanate and triglycerides containing phytanic acid were separated from their normal fatty acid analogs by thin-layer chromatography. The presence of the branched-chain fatty acid makes the lipid less polar, and this effect becomes more pronounced as the number of phytanic acid residues in the triglycerides is increased. Phytanic acid was prepared from commercial phytol by catalytic hydrogenation, followed by catalytic oxidation. It contained 5% pristanic acid.