ABSTRACT: Phytanic acid (3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadecanoic acid) is a branched very long chain fatty acid (VLCFA) derived in humans from the diet and catabolized via peroxisomal metabolism. Catabolism of phytanic acid is important in humans as certain inborn errors of peroxisomal metabolism, including Refsum Disease, manifest when catabolism of diet derived phytanic acid is impaired. We developed a novel, linear, unified, unoptimized synthesis of all-racemic phytanic acid along with its 2,3,6,7,10,11,14,15-d8, 1,2-13C2, and 1,2-13C2-2,3,6,7,10,11,14,15-d8 stable isotope labeled analogs from commercially available materials including the common starting material ethyl 2-bromoacetate and ethyl 2-bromoacetate-13C2. This improves upon pre
