What is "phytol"

n. (context organic compound English) The diterpenoid alcohol ''(2E,7R,11R)-3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol'' derived from chlorophyll

Phytol is an acyclic diterpene alcohol that can be used as a precursor for the manufacture of synthetic forms of vitamin E and vitamin K1. In ruminants, the gut fermentation of ingested plant materials liberates phytol, a constituent of chlorophyll, which is then converted to phytanic acid and stored in fats. In shark liver it yields pristane.